Bella Potter Reads Chamber of Secrets
by xxJLCSAADFRNCxx
Summary: They read the first book, now they move onto Bella's 2nd year at Hogwarts will Ginny be able to stand reliving her first year? She doesn't know. Will Malfoy still be a git? Yep! fem harry girl harry Girl Who Lived Will be improving nd put on another site when imporved also GWL! DISCLAIMER! DON'T OWN HP JK ROWLING DOES!
1. The Worst Birthday

Eventually after a lot of persuasions and sleepy grumbles (mostly from Ron) and when everyone was feed, they settled back into their seats Remus picked up the book.

"**The Chamber of Secrets" **read Remus looking at the front cover. Ginny paled dramatically. Hermione did slightly.

'Who hasn't read yet?' asked Remus, book stretched in the air.

'I haven't,' said Percy, taking the book. He cleared his throat.

"**The Worst Birthday" **he read.

'Dursleys,' growled Mad eye. Bella remembered things that happened that year and suppressed a groan, as the twins and Ron faces grew very dark.

'Let skip this,' said Bella hastily.

'No,' said Fred angrily.

'I want to know why you had bars on your windows.' growled George.

'You mean you weren't exaggerating,' cried Mrs Weasley horrified.

'Wish we were,' said Ron, putting his hand on his best mates shoulder.

'Well this will be a fun one,' said Sirius sarcastically.

'Have we had a happy chapter yet?' asked Tonks

'Some parts –'

'I mean a full chapter Bella.' Tonks said to the girl.

'Er –'

Percy started read.

**Not for the first time, an argument had broken out over breakfast at number four, Privet Drive.**

'Or the last,' Bella said annoyed.

**Mr Vernon Dursley had been woken in the early hours of the morning by a loud, hooting noise from their niece Bella's room. "Third time this week!" he roared across the table. "If you can't control that owl, it'll have to go!" **

'His trying to get rid of Hedwig,' said Hermione angrily. Bella smiled sadly.

**Bella tried yet again to explain. **

"**She's **_**bored**_**," she said. "She's used to flying around outside. If I could just let her out at night..."**

"**Do I look stupid?"snarled Uncle Vernon **

'Yes!' yelled all the Weasley kids (not Percy) Hermione, Luna and Neville.

**,a bit of fried egg dangling from his bushy moustache. **

Tonks laughed.

'Stunning,' she said.

'And really proves his point,' Charlie agreed.

"**I know what'll happen if that owl's let out." He exchanged dark looks with his wife, Petunia. Bella tried to argue back but her words were drowned out by a long, loud belch from the Dursley's son, Dudley. **

'Disgusting,' Mrs Weasley muttered angrily.

"**I want more bacon."**

'They need to teach him manners!' said Mrs Weasley angrily.

"**There's more in the frying pan, sweetums," said Aunt Petunia, turning her misty eyes on her massive son. "We must feed you up while we've got the chance ... I don't like the sound of that school food ..." **

"**Nonsense, Petunia, I ever went hungry when **_**I **_**was at Smeltings," said Uncle Vernon heartily. "Dudley get enough, don't you, son?" Dudley, who was so large his bottom drooped over either side of the kitchen chair**

'How can anyone do that to a child!' cried Mrs Weasley.

'There doing more damage to him then Potter!' said Mad eye.

**, grinning and turned on Bella. "Pass the frying pan." **

"**You've forgotten the magic word," said Bella irritably.**

Mrs Weasley beamed at Bella, who smiled back.

'I was sick of it... but next time I'll phrase it better.' The room turned to her confused. 'You'll see.'

**The effect of this simple sentence on the rest of the family was incredible: Dudley gasped and fell off his chair with a crash that shook the whole kitchen; Mrs Dursley gave a small scream and clapped her hands to her mouth; Mr Dursley jumped to his feet, veins throbbing in his temples. **

"**I meant "please"!' said Bella quickly "I didn't mean-"**

'Is that really all it takes to set them off?' Hermione said. Bella nodded.

'The 'M' word, 'H' word and the three 'W' words.' Bella said.

'Three,'

'Wand, witch, wizard.' She said.

"**WHAT HAVE WE TOLD YOU,"**

'Oh for god's sake,' said Hermione angrily.

**thundered her uncle, spraying spit over the table, "ABOUT SAYING THE 'M' WORD IN OUR HOUSE?"**

'The 'm' word.' snorted Ron, thinking Bella was joking.

'Ron this isn't funny!' said Hermione shrilly.

"**But I-"**

"**HOW DARE YOU THREATEN DUDLEY!" roared Uncle Vernon, pounding the table with his fist. **

"**I just-" **

"**I WARNED YOU! I WILL NOT TOLEREATE MENTION OF YOUR ABNORMALITY**

Many hisses sounded the room.

**UNDER THIS ROOF!" Bella stared from her purple-faced uncle to her pale aunt, who was trying to heave Dudley back to his feet. **

"**All right" said Bella "**_**all right,"**_** Uncle Vernon had sat back down, breathing like a winded rhinoceros and watching Bella closely out of the corners of his small, sharp eyes.**

**Ever since Bella had come home for the summer holidays, Uncle Vernon had been treating her like a bomb that might go off at any moment, because Bella **_**wasn't **_**a normal girl. **

'Nope,' said Fred 'Scrawny little gits are hard to find.'

'George!' cried Mrs Weasley.

'Sorry mum,' they both said. Mrs Weasley groaned.

'Fred, George, be nice to your mother,' said Bella in an annoyed voice.

'Yes Ma'am,' they said together saluting her.

**As a matter of fact, she was as not normal as it is possible to be. Bella Potter was a witch - a witch fresh from her year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. **

All the children (plus Sirius and Tonks) cheered!

**And the Dursleys were unhappy to have her back for the holidays. **

Everyone scowled at the book.

**, it was nothing to what Bella felt. She missed Hogwarts so much it was like a constant stomach ache. She missed the castle, with its secret passageways and ghosts, her lessons **

'Traitor!' said Ron, Bella laughed at him.

'Sorry Ron,'

**(though perhaps not Snape, the Potions master.)**

'I still can't get over that you were looking forward to potions,' said Neville.

'I know, you probably would of Nev, it was because of Snape – Professor Snape –' Dumbledore give her a look 'that we don't like, normally Herbology and potions go together.' said Bella.

**, the post arriving by owl, eating banquets in the Great Hall, sleeping in her four-poster bed in the tower dormitory, visiting the gamekeeper Hagrid, in his cabin in the grounds next to the forbidden forest and, especially, Quidditch, the most popular sport in the wizarding world (six goalposts, four flying balls and fourteen players on broomsticks). All Bella's spellbooks, her wand, robes, cauldron and top-of-the-range Nimbus two thousand broomstick had been locked in the cupboard under the stairs by Uncle Vernon the instant Bella had come home. What did the Dursleys care if Bella lost her place in the house Quidditch team because she hadn't practised all summer?**

'You wouldn't have your too good,' said McGonagall. Bella blushed.

**What was it to the Dursleys if Bella went back to school without any of her homework done? **

The two teachers in the room scowled.

**The Dursleys were what wizards called Muggles (not a drop of magic blood in their veins) and as far as they were concerned, having a wizard in the family was a matter of deepest shame. **

More growling.

**Uncle Vernon had even padlocked Bella's owl, Hedwig, inside her cage, to stop her carrying messages to anyone in the wizarding world. Bella looked nothing like the rest of the family. **

'Thank god,' George muttered, glancing in his opinion the best looking girl in the world. Fred smiled at his twin.

**Uncle Vernon was a large and neckless, with an enormous black moustache; Aunt Petunia was horse-faced and bony; Dudley was blonde, pink and porky. **

'It's a shame you don't look like them,' sighed Fred. 'Just think how beautiful you'd be…'

Bella laughed.

**Bella, on the other hand, was small and skinny, with brilliant green eyes and jet-black hair that was always untidy. **

'Has it ever not been?' asked Remus 'James's never was, but yours is much longer.'

'Once.' said Bella smiling sadly at the memory of the Yule ball. George smiled too; she had looked so beautiful that night. He hadn't noticed at the time he still thought of her as his little sister then, properly the way she think of him, her big brother, he stopped the sigh.

**She wore round glasses,**

'Not anymore,' said Bella grinning.

**and on her forehead was a thin lightning-shaped scar. **

**It was this scar that made Bella so particularly unusual, even for a witch. **

'Can we not just skip this part, we all know it.' Bella almost begged.

'No,' said Percy and continued to read.

**This scar was the only hint of Bella's very mysterious past, of the reason she had been left on the Dursley's doorstep eleven years before. At the age of one, Bella had somehow survived a curse from the greatest dark sorcerer of all time, Lord Voldemort, whose name most witches and wizards. Still feared to speak. Bella's parents had died in Voldemort's attack, but somehow – nobody understood why – Voldemort's powers had been destroyed the instant he failed to kill Bella. So Bella had been brought up by Bella's dead mother's sister and her husband. She had spent ten years with the Dursleys, never understanding why she kept making odd things happen without meaning to, believing the Dursleys' story that she got her scar in the car crash that killed her parents. And then, exactly a year ago, Hogwarts had written to Bella. And the whole story came out. Bella had taken up her place at wizard school, where she and her scar were famous... **

'Bella you love your fame don't you?' said Fred pompously

'Attentions your favourite pass time.' said George.

'Shut up,' mumbled Bella hiding in her hair slightly.

**but now the school year was over, and she was back with the Dursleys for the summer, back to being treated like a dog that had rolled in something smelly. **

Sirius grinned at her, Bella and the children who knew chuckled.

**The Dursleys hadn't even remembered that today happened to be Bella's twelfth birthday. Of course, her hopes hadn't been high; they'd never given her a proper present, let alone a cake – but to ignore it completely... **

Mrs Weasley, Tonks and Hermione looked sadly at her she flushed.

'Hey, for her next birthday we should throw her a surprise party.' George whispered in Fred's ear.

'Good idea,' Fred whispered back, 'By the end of the night we'll have you snogging her senseless.' George blushed a Weasley red.

'Shut it!' he hissed. Both twins had forgotten about Remus's extra hearing he smiled, thinking George would be perfect for Bella, her red head, thought he did let on he knew.

**At that moment, Uncle Vernon cleared his throat importantly and said "Now, as we all know, today is a very important day." Bella looked up, hardly daring to believe it. **

'Don't,' Ginny advised angrily.

"**This could be the day I make the biggest deal of my career," said Uncle Vernon. Bella went back to her toast. Of course, she thought bitterly, Uncle Vernon was talking about the stupid dinner party. He'd been talking of nothing else for a fortnight. Some rich builder and his wife were coming to dinner and Uncle Vernon was hoping to get a huge order from him (Uncle Vernon's company made drills).**

'Hope he doesn't get it,' said Bill thinking about how cruel it was to ignore anyone's birthday let alone a child's.

'Me too,' said Charlie darkly.

"**I think we should run through the schedule one more time," said Uncle Vernon.**

'They schedule,' snorted Tonks.

'They don't like imagination remember?' said Bella 'Everything has to be planned.'

"**We should all be in position at eight o'clock. Petunia you will be-?"**

"**In the lounge," said Aunt Petunia promptly, "waiting to welcome them graciously into our home." **

"**Good, good. And Dudley?"**

"**I'll be waiting to get the door." Dudley put on a fool, simpering smile. "May I take your coats, Mr and Mrs Mason?"**

"**They'll **_**love**_** him!" cried Aunt Petunia rapturously.**

"**Excellent, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon. Then he rounded on Bella.**

Bella groaned, hiding in Sirius's shoulder.

"**And **_**you**_**?"**

"**I'll be in my bedroom, making no noise and pretending I don't exist," said Bella tonelessly . **

'I am going to kill those Dursleys!' snarled George

'I'll help you!' snarled Fred.

'Count me in boys,' said Sirius darkly wrapping his arms around his goddaughter. Who shrank into his form, she wanted nothing more to disappear.

'And us!' said Neville, Ron, Hermione and Ginny angrily.

'Bella?' said Mr Weasley gently. Everyone looked at the girl hiding in Sirius's side. Sirius shook her shoulder slightly.

'Keep reading,' she mumbled.

'Bella…' said Sirius.

'Percy read,' she mumbled.

'Weasley don't read.' said Snape.

'Since when do _you_ care!' snapped Bella turning around and glaring at him.

'_I_, Potter, do not. However; there are several here who do.' He said silkily.

'It doesn't matter,' she said. 'It's past, nothing you can do.'

Everyone groaned at her.

'You aren't going back there remember that,' said Sirius smiling. 'You'll live in this dumb instead.' Bella smiled.

'No stupid talk?' she asked, he smiled.

'We'll see,' that means yes, she thought annoyed, Sirius saw her face and snorted. She knew.

"**Exactly," said Uncle Vernon nastily. "I will lead them into the lounge, introduce you, Petunia, and pour them drinks. At eight fifteen-"**

"**I'll announce dinner," said Aunt Petunia. "And Dudley, you'll say-" **

"**May I take you through to the dining room, Mrs Mason?" said Dudley, offering his fat arm to an invisible women. **

"**My perfect little gentlemen!" sniffed Aunt Petunia. **

"**And **_**you**_**?" said Uncle Vernon viciously to Bella.**

"**I'll be in my room, making no noise and pretending I don't exist," said Bella dully. **

Lots of growling filled the room.

"**Precisely. Now we should aim to get in a few good complements at dinner. Petunia, any ideas?" **

"**Vernon tells me you're a **_**wonderful **_**golfer,**

'Did you know Golf the sport stands for Gentlemen Only Ladies Forbidden.' Said Hermione

'Seriously?' said Bella in surprise, 'don't' she said to Sirius as he opened his mouth.

'Merlin's Beard' said Mr Weasley 'You learn something new every day,' **(I didn't know this my friend told me I was like OMG siriusly! But it's actually true! So I decided I am going to start playing to make a point! :P) **

**Mr Mason ... Do tell me where you bought that dress, Mrs Mason ...?" **

"**Perfect Dudley?"**

Bella grinned waiting for it to be read.

"**How about: 'We had to write an essay about our hero at school, Mr Mason and **_**I**_** wrote about **_**you**_**'" **

The twins were rolling along the floor, knocking into each other, while others were holding there ribs, tears streaming, even Snape had smiled only just stopping from chuckling.

'Has he even meet him before?' asked Tonks through gasps.

'N-n-no,' chocked Bella.

Finally after a long while everyone calmed down enough to read.

**This was way too much for both Aunt Petunia and Bella. Aunt Petunia burst into tears and hugged her son, while Bella ducked under the table so they couldn't see her laughing. **

"**And you, girl?" Bella fought to keep her face straight as she emerged. **

"**I'll bed in my room, making no noise and pretending I don't exist," she said. **

Percy was feeling a bit nervous with the glares being sent this way.

"**Too right you will," said Uncle Vernon forcefully. "The Masons don't know anything about you and it's going to stay that way. When dinner's over, you take Mrs Mason back in the lounge for coffee, Petunia, and I'll bring the subject around to drills. With any luck, I'll have the deal signed and sealed before the **_**New at ten. **_**We'll be shopping for a holiday home in Majorca this time tomorrow." Bella couldn't feel too excited about this. She didn't think the Dursleys would like her any better in Majorca than they did in Privet Drive.**

'Why did I think they'd let me come,' she muttered. Sirius and Remus heard her, Sirius squeezed her side.

"**Right – I'm off into town to pick up the dinner jackets for Dudley and me. And **_**you**_**," he snarled at Bella, "you stay out of your aunt's way while she's cleaning." Bella left through the back door. It was brilliant, sunny day. She crossed the lawn, slumped down on the garden bench and sang under her breath, "Happy birthday to me ... happy birthday to me ..."**

Bella blushed and hid in Sirius shoulder so she couldn't see the looks sent her way.

**No cards, no presents, and she would be spending the evening pretending not to exist. She gazed miserably into the hedge. She had never felt more lonely. More than anything else at Hogwarts, even more than playing Quidditch, Bella missed her best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. **

'Bloody elf,' muttered Ron, he knew Dobby thought it was for the best, he was funny little thing, but he always hated what he saw when he came to rescue Bella from the Dursleys. Remus heard and raised his eyebrows.

**They, however, didn't seem to be missing her at all. Neither of them had written to her all summer,**

'Ron wrote everyday,' said Mrs Weasley frowning.

'Mum!'

'Oh ickle Ronnie missed his wittle fwiend,' said Fred

'Evwy day he wote to her,' said George, Ron was crimson.

'Leave him alone,' said Bella smiling. 'Thanks Ron I would have too, if he didn't have Hedwig locked up.'

**even thought Ron had said he was going to ask Bella to come and stay. Countless times, Bella had been on point of locking Hedwig's cage by magic and sending her to Ron and Hermione with a letter, but it wasn't worth the risk. Underage wizards weren't allowed to use magic outside of school. Bella hadn't told the Dursleys this; she knew it was only their terror that she might turn them all into dung beetles that stopped them locking **_**her **_**in the cupboard under the stairs with her wand and broomstick. **

'If they did that again I...' Mrs Weasley was past words.

**For the first couple of weeks back, Bella had enjoyed muttering nonsense under her breath and watching Dudley tearing out of the room as fast as his fat legs would carry him.**

'The prankster is there,' said Fred

'Let her out!' cried George.

'Please, for Hogwarts, and my sanity don't.' moaned McGonagall. Bella grinned at her.

**But the long silence from Ron and Hermione had made Bella feel so cut off from the magical world that even taunting Dudley had lost its appeal – and now Ron and Hermione had forgotten her birthday. **

'I wish Dobby hadn't,' sighed Bella. Who was Dobby? Thought Sirius, while trying not to glare at the mentioned two.

'So did you get any presents for your birthday?' Remus asked; Bella shook her head.

'No, why?'

'Just a shame,' Remus said, inside he was furious he had sent Bella a gift that year, photos and a scrapbook. He had thought about it a month in advance.

**What would she give now for a message from Hogwarts? From any witch or wizard? She'd almost be glad of a sight of her arch-enemy, Draco Malfoy, **

'I'm touched Potter,' sneered Draco 'Never knew you cared.'

'Shut up!' she huffed. 'Or you and your little ferret face will –'

'Experiences,' said Draco, Bella stopped talking immediately looking down at her hands. Everyone besides Draco and Percy looked worriedly at her (yes Snape as well). What had they done...? Snape leaned down and whispered in Malfoy's ear.

'Draco, we are among the enemy here, if you say that one more time at least one Weasley will probably attack you. Now either stop or I will take the memory of whatever happened from your mind, understood?' Draco nodded looking at little worriedly at the Weasley family.

**just to be sure it hadn't all been a dream ... Not that her whole year at Hogwarts had been fun. **

Everyone went pale at the reminder of what had happened in yesterdays reading.

**At the very end of last term, Bella had come face to face with none other than Lord Voldemort himself. Voldemort might be a ruin of his former self, but he was still terrifying, still cunning, still determined to regain power. Bella had slipped through Voldemorts clutches a second time, but it had been a narrow escape, and even now, weeks later, Bella kept waking in the night, drenched in cold sweat, wondering where Voldemort was now, remembering his livid face, his wide, mad eyes. **

'Why didn't you tell us you were having nightmares?' said Hermione softly.

'Never came up,' said Ron and Bella in sink, she scowled at him, he shrugged.

**Bella suddenly sat bolt upright on the garden bench. She had been staring absent-mindedly at the hedge – and **_**the hedge was staring back.**_

'What's that!' growled Moody 'Spy? Death Eater?'

'Alistair it was neither, relax,' said Dumbledore in a calming voice.

**Two enormous green eyes appeared among the leaves. Bella jumped to her feet just as a jeering voice floated across the lawn. **

"**I know what day it is," sang Dudley, **

'Very clever dinky duddydums,' said Fred

'Finally learnt they says of the week without the televistions help,' said George.

'Television,' said Hermione

'Whatever,' he said shrugging.

**waddling towards her. The huge eyes blinked and vanished. **

"**What?" said Bella, not taking her eyes off the spot where they had been.**

'Constant Vigilance,' said Moody approvingly. Tonks rolled her eyes. 'I saw that,' he growled irritably.

"**I know what day it is," Dudley repeated, coming right up to her. **

"**Well done," said Bella "you finally learned the days of the week."**

'No stealing our lines,' mock yelled Fred

'Get your own!' fake huffed George.

'Technically I said it first, this was two and a half years ago.' said Bella smirking.

'Wow, Potter's kid has common sense,' said Mad eye remembering auror training with them.

'What?'

'Your father was training to be an Auror,' explained McGonagall, 'along, with Black.'

'And they let _this_ in!' said Bella in amazement looking at her godfather, Sirius started to tickle her.

'No c-cut it o-out,' she gasped trying to squirm away, but he had her pinned she was unable to move as he continued to tickle her. 'O-ok I'm s-sorry-y s-stop!' he did Bella tried to catch her breath.

"**Today's your **_**birthday**_**," sneered Dudley. "How come you haven't got any cards? Haven't you got any friends at that freak place?"**

'YES SHE HAS!' cried Hermione, Ron, Neville, Luna, Ginny, Fred, George, Tonks, Bill and Charlie. Bella smiled at them all gratefully.

"**Better not let your mum hear you talking about my school," said Bella coolly. Dudley hitched up his trousers, which were slipping down his fat bottom. **

Mrs Weasley frowned honesty no way to raise children, one too fat the other too skinny, one spoilt one deprived. It was beyond infuriating.

"**Why're you staring at the hedge?" he said suspiciously. **

"**I'm trying to decide what would be the best spell to set it on fire," said Bella. Dudley stumbled backwards at once, a look of panic on his fat face. **

"**You c-can't – Dad told you you're not to do m-magic **

'How stupid he can't even say magic,' snorted Ron.

'Like you couldn't say Voldemort?' asked Bella innocently. Ron flushed Bella smirked.

– **he said he'll chuck you out if the house - **

'Is that a bad thing?' asked Tonks seriously.

'Obviously not,' said Charlie.

**and you haven't got anywhere else to go – you haven't got any **_**friends **_**to take you-"**

'Yes she has!' said growled Ginny getting extremely pissed off with these people.

"_**Jiggery pokery!" **_**said Bella in a fierce voice. "Hocus Pocus ... squiggily wiggly ..." **

'And he thought these were real spells,' said Mad eye.

'But they are!' cried Fred

'Really advanced they are!' said George 'Seventh year stuff.'

'Oh be quiet idiots,' said Bella playfully.

"**MUUUUUUM!" howled Dudley. Tripping over his feet as he dashed back towards the house. "MUUUUM! She's doing you know what!"**

'You Know What,' snorted Ron 'What idiot says You Know What,'

'You Know who,' coughed Bella leaning towards him, he flushed red.

'Oh ha ha, give it a rest Bella,' he said

**Bella dearly paid for her moment of fun. As neither Dudley nor the hedge was in any way hurt, Aunt Petunia knew she hadn't really done magic, but she still had to duck as she aimed a heavy blow at her head with a soapy frying pan.**

'SHE DID WHAT!' cried everyone bar Percy, Malfoy and Snape. (Dumbledore?)

'Sod this! We're defiantly talking again later,' said Sirius, hugging her tightly she was almost on his lap again.

'Brilliant,' said Bella darkly. 'Don't be stupid! It missed!' she said squirming trying to break his grip.

'That's not the point!' snapped Remus, she looked at him shocked, Bella had never really seeing him lose his temper.

'It just like dodging a Bludger –' she said.

'Isabella it's nothing like that and you know it.' Remus growled.

'How often did this happen, Bella?' said Dumbledore calmly.

'Once,' then she winced at the glares sent her way.

'Ok, ok, a couple – Stop glaring at me! – About three times a year,' She finally snapped irritably, 'never hit me.'

**Then she gave her work to do, with the promise if she wouldn't eat again until she'd finished. While Dudley lolled around watching and eating ice-creams, Bella cleaned the windows, washed the car, mowed the lawn, trimmed the flowerbeds, pruned and watered the roses, re-painted the garden bench. **

'This is ridiculous,' said McGonagall. 'Albus you should have never left her there!' she snapped furiously. Sirius's fury was past words he just clutched his goddaughter closer to him, pulling her onto his lap. She tried to complain but he sent her a Don't-you-dare look.

'I was completely unaware of this, I did not believe...'

'Whether you believed or not Albus this has happened,' said Mad eye.

'She is being treated like a bloody house elf!' said Tonks angrily.

'Still in the room,' she said teasingly. 'Ron, calm down,' she added when she saw Ron's fists clenched, his weren't the only ones.

'We are so gunna make them pay for this!' spat George, his twin nodded darkly, their faces very angrily it didn't suit them at all.

**The sun blazed overhead, her hair sticking to the back her of neck. Bella knew she shouldn't have risen to Dudley's bait, but Dudley had said the very thing Bella had been thinking herself ... maybe she **_**didn't **_**have any friends at Hogwarts... **

Hermione couldn't take anymore, she ran up and hugged Bella fiercely; removing her from Sirius's lap.

'I can't believe you thought that!' she said slightly hysterical. 'I never really understood we really were you first friends.'

'Hermione get off,' she smiled. 'I'm fine and now I know I have the best friends anyone can ask for.'

'Soppy git,' coughed Fred earning glares from every female in the room beside Bella, who laughed.

'The time and place, Fred, time and place.'

**Wish they could see famous Bella Potter now, she thought savagely,**

Most of the group smiled at her fondly.

**as she spread manure on the flowerbeds, her back aching, sweat running down her face. It was half past seven when at last, exhausted, she heard Aunt Petunia calling her.**

Sirius was growling. 

"**Get in here! And walk on the newspaper!" Bella moved gladly into the shade of the gleaming kitchen. On top of the fridge stood tonight's pudding: a huge mound on top of the whipped cream and sugared violets. A joint of roast pork was sizzling in the oven. **

'Do you get any?' asked Remus sharply.

'Well I – '

'Didn't think so,' he growled she sighed.

"**Eat quickly! The Masons will be here soon!" snapped Aunt Petunia pointing to two slices of bread and a lump of cheese on the kitchen table.**

'I still got something,' she grumbled.

**She was already wearing a salmon-pink cocktail dress. Bella washed her hands and bolted down her pitiful supper. The moment she had finished, Aunt Petunia whisked away her plate. "Upstairs hurry!" **

**As she passed the door to the living room, Bella caught a glimpse of Uncle Vernon and Dudley in bow-ties and dinner jackets. She had only reached the upstairs landing when the doorbell rang and Uncle Vernon's furious face appeared at the foot of the stairs. **

"**Remember, girl – one sound ..." Bella crossed to her bedroom on tiptoe, slipped inside, closed the door and turned to collapse on her bed. The trouble was, there was already someone sitting on it. **

'That's the end of the chapter,' said Percy

'Who's reading now?' asked Bill still pissed off at the Dursleys.

'I will,' said Ginny taking the book from her traitor brother.

"**Dobby's Warning" **Ginny read.

_**Love you all thanks for the comments ! xxxxxxxxx**_


	2. Dobby's Warning

"**Dobby's Warning"** Ginny read.

**Bella managed not to shout out, but it was a close thing. The little creature on the bed had large, bat-like ears and bulging green eyes the size of tennis balls.**

People snickered at Dobby's description.

**Bella knew instantly that this was what had been watching her out in the garden hedge that morning. As they stared at each other, Bella heard the Dudley's voice from the hall.**

"**May I take your coats Mr and Mrs Mason?" The creature slipped of the bed and bowed so low that the end of its long thin nose touched the carpet. Bella noticed that it was wearing what looked like a pillowcase, with rips for arm and leg holes. **

'House elf,' mumbled Tonks confused, why was a house elf in Bella's room?

"**Er-hello," said Bella nervously.**

"**Bella Potter!" said the creature, in a high-pitched voice Bella was sure would carry downstairs. "So long has Dobby wanted to meet you, miss ... Such and honour it is..." **

'Aw,' teased Ron.

'Shut it,' she hissed.

"**Th-thank you," said Bella, edging along the wall and sinking into her chair, next to Hedwig, who was asleep in her large cage. She wanted to ask, 'What are you?' but thought it would sound too rude, so instead she said, "Who are you?"**

Hermione give Bella a dangerous look, Bella rolled her eyes at her friend, spew was obviously on her mind.

"**Dobby, miss. Just Dobby. Dobby the house-elf," said the creature. **

"**Oh – really?" said Bella. "Er – I don't want to be rude or anything, but – this isn't a great time for me to have a house-elf in my bedroom." Aunt Petunia's high, false laugh sounded from the living room. **

Bella and Snape cringed as they remembered the sound; Snape's was internal though the grimace was there.

**The elf hung his head. **

"**Not that I'm not pleased to meet you," said Bella quickly, "but, er, is there any particular reason you're here?"**

'Good staying polite,' said Mrs Weasley smiling fondly at her.

"**Oh, yes miss," said Dobby earnestly. "Dobby has come to tell you, miss ... it is difficult, miss ... Dobby wonders where to begin..."**

'Bludger straight to the head,' said Fred.

'Do you just make that up?' Bella laughed.

'Nope it's a saying so is "Quaffle straight through the hoop."' said George.

'Cool, I'll start using them' she said.

"**Sit down," said Bella politely, pointing to the bed. To her horror, the elf burst into tears – very noisy tears, **

The group looked around worriedly, thinking about the Dursleys.

"_**S-sit down!"**_** he wailed. "**_**Never ... never ever..." **_**Bella thought she heard the voice downstairs falter. **

"**I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean to offend you or anything." **

"**Offend Dobby!" chocked the elf. "Dobby has**_** never **_**been asked to sit down by a witch – like an **_**equal **_**–" Bella, trying to say 'Shh!' and look comforting at the same time, ushered Dobby back onto the bed where he sat hiccoughing, looking like a large ugly doll. At last he managed to control himself, and sat with his great eyes fixed on Bella in an expression of watery adoration. **

'That will come with the fame,' said Charlie, Bella blushed slightly.

'Shut up you idiot,' she said.

"**You can't have met many decent wizards," said Bella, trying to cheer him up. Dobby shook his head. Then, without warning, he leapt up and started banging his head furiously on the window, shouting, **

"_**Bad**_** Dobby! **_**Bad**_** Dobby!"**

'His masters he can't insult them,' Sirius sighed. Poor elf.

"**Don't – what are you doing?" Bella hissed, springing up and pulling Dobby back onto the bed. Hedwig had woken up with a particularly loud screech and was beating her wings wildly against the bars of her cage.**

"**Dobby had to punish himself, miss," said the elf, who had gone slightly cross-eyed. "Dobby almost spoke ill off his family, miss ..."**

'Wait...' said Malfoyholding up a hand, thinking hard. 'Dobby?' he muttered. 

'Dobby was one of your house elves,' Bella said coolly, 'but I set him free.' Malfoy scowled at her.

"**Your family?"**

"**The wizard family that Dobby serves, miss ... Dobby is a house-elf – bound to serve one house and one family forever ..."**

"**Do they know your here?" said Bella curiously. Dobby shuddered. "Oh no, miss, no ... Dobby will have to shut his ears in the oven door this. If they knew, miss –"**

"**But, won't they notice if you shut your ears in the oven door?" **

"**Dobby doubts it, miss. Dobby is always having to punish himself for something, miss. They lets Dobby get on with it, miss. Sometimes they remind me to do extra punishments ..."**

Hermione glared at Malfoy who cowered slightly from it.

"**But why don't you leave? Escape?"**

"**A house-elf must be set free, miss. And the family will never set the family free ... Dobby will serve family until he dies, miss ..." Bella stared. **

"**And I thought I was hard-done-by staying here for another four weeks," she said.**

'You still are,' said Neville frowning, he really didn't like these people.

"**This makes the Dursleys almost human. Can't anyone help you? Can't I?" Almost at once, Bella wished she hadn't spoken. Dobby dissolved again into wails of gratitude. "Please," she whispered frantically, "please be quiet. If the Dursleys hear anything, if they know you're here ..." **

"**Bella Potter asks if she can help Dobby ... Dobby has heard of your goodness, Dobby never knew ..."**

**Bella who was feeling distinctly hot in the face,**

The twins cooed at her, Bella felt her face heat up again.

'Shut up!' she hissed. 'It's not funny!'

'Is for us,' Mr Weasley chuckled, Bella huffed crossing her arms, Sirius let out a bark like laugh.

'Glad I amuse you all,' she said dryly, more people smirked and tried to hide their laughter.

**said, "Whatever you've heard about my greatness is a load of rubbish. I'm not even top in my year at Hogwarts, that's Hermione she –"**

**But she stopped quickly, because thinking about Hermione was painful. **

That sobered the mood, Bella went darker as Hermione and everyone else looked at her sadly.

"**Bella Potter is humble and modest," said Dobby reverently, his orb-like eyes aglow. "Bella Potter speaks not of her triumph over He Who Must Be Named."**

"**Voldemort?"** **said Bella. Dobby clapped his hands over his bat ears and moaned, "Ah, speak not the name, miss! Speak not the name!"**

"**Sorry," said Bella quickly. "I know lots of people don't like it – my friend Ron ..." She stopped again. Thinking about Ron was painful, too.**

Ron gave her a quick one armed hug.

**Dobby leaned towards Bella, his eyes wide as headlamps. "Dobby heard tell," he said hoarsely, "that Bella Potter met the Dark Lord for a second time, just weeks ago ... that Bella Potter escaped **_**yet again**_**." Bella nodded and Dobby's eyes suddenly shone with tears. "Ah, miss," he gasped, dabbing his face with a corner of the grubby pillowcase he was wearing. "Bella Potter is valiant and bold! She has braved so many dangers already! But even Dobby has come to protect Bella Potter, to warn her, even if he **_**does **_**have to shut his ears in the oven door later ... **_**Bella Potter must not go back to Hogwarts**_**."**

'WHAT!' yelled most of the group.

'Dobby will explain,' Bella said looking slightly irritated, knowing Sirius and others were going to go crazy before the end of the chapter.

**There was a silence broken only from a chink of knives and forks from downstairs and a distant rumble of Uncle Vernon's voice. "W-what?" Bella stammered. "But I've got to go back – term starts on September first. It's all that's keeping me going. You don't know what it's like here. I don't **_**belong **_**here. I belong in your world – at Hogwarts." **

"**No, no, no," squeaked Dobby, shaking his head so hard his ears flapped. "Bella Potter must stay where she is safe. She is too great, too good, to lose. If Bella Potter goes back to Hogwarts, she will be in mortal danger." **

'When is she not,' Sirius groaned his expression darkened, Bella rolled her eyes, only when she dud that she saw that Sirius's wasn't the only ones who darkened.

"**Why?" said Bella in surprise. **

"**There is a plot, Bella Potter. A plot to make most terrible things happen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year," whispered Dobby, suddenly trembling all over. "Dobby has known it for months, miss. Bella Potter must not put herself in peril. She is too important, miss!"**

Bella felt herself go red again, she wasn't important.

Ron seemed to know what she was thinking and whispered in her ear.

'Yes you are,' she went darker.

"**What terrible things?" said Bella at once. "Who's plotting them?" Dobby made a funny chocking noise and then banned his head madly against the wall. **

"**All right!" cried Bella, grabbing the elf's arm to stop him. "You can't say, I understand. But why are you warning **_**me**_**?"**

'Because you're Bella Potter!' cried the twins.

**A sudden, unpleasant thought struck her. "Hang on – this hasn't got anything to do with Vol – sorry – with You Know Who, has it? You could just shake or nod," she added hastily, as Dobby's head tilted worrying close to the wall again. Slowly Dobby shook his head. **

"**Not – not **_**He Who Must Not Be Named**_**, miss." But Dobby's eyes were wide and he seemed to be trying to give Bella a hint. **

'It wasn't a good one,' she muttered annoyed, a couple of people around the room chuckled at her face.

**Bella however was completely at sea. "He hasn't got a brother, has he?"**

Tonks snorted.

'No Potter he doesn't,' growled Moody watching her with his blue eye.

**Dobby shook his head, his eyes wider than ever. "Well then, I can't think who else would have a chance of making horrible things happen at Hogwarts," said Bella **

"**I mean, there's Dumbledore, for one thing – you know who Dumbledore is, don't you?" Dobby bowed his head. **

"**Albus Dumbledore is the greatest Headmaster Hogwarts has ever had.**

'Smart elf,' said McGonagall smiling at her colleague and her old transfiguration teacher who chuckled merrily.

**Dobby knows it, miss. Dobby has heard Dumbledore's powers rival those of He Who Must Not Be Named at the height of his strength. But miss," Dobby's voice dropped to an urgent whisper, "there are powers Dumbledore doesn't ... no decent wizard ..." And before Bella could stop him, Dobby bounded his head off the bed, seized Bella's desk lamp and started beating himself around the head with ear-splitting yelps. A sudden silence fell downstairs. Two seconds later Bella, heart thudding madly, heard Uncle Vernon coming into the hall, calling, **

'Crap,' said Bill, Ginny worried about her friend continued before a conversation could begin.

"**Dudley must have left his television on again, the little tyke!" **

"**Quick! In the wardrobe!" hissed Bella, stuffing Dobby in, shutting the door and flinging herself on the bed just as the door handle turned. **

"**What – the – **_**devil **_**– are – you – doing?" said Uncle Vernon through his teeth, his face horribly close to Bella's. "You've just ruined the punchline of my Japanese-golfer joke ... one more sound and you'll wish you'd never been born, girl!" **

Most of the room were growling.

**He stomped flat-footed from the room. **

**Shaking,**

Mr and Mrs Weasley, Remus and Sirius all growled at that.

**Bella let Dobby out of the wardrobe. **

"**See what it's like here?" she said. "See why I've got to go back to Hogwarts? It's the only place I've got - well, I **_**think**_** I've got friends."**

"**Friends that don't even **_**write**_** to Bella Potter?" said Dobby slyly.**

Remus eyes narrowed, he had been stopping them. 

"**I expect they've just been – hang on," said Bella, frowning. "How do you know my friends haven't been writing to me?" Dobby shuffled his feet. "Bella Potter mustn't be angry with Dobby – Dobby did it for the best ..."**

"_**Have you been stopping my letters?" **_

"**Dobby had them here, miss," said the elf. Stepping nimbly out of Bella's reach, he pulled a thick was of envelopes from the inside of the pillowcase he was wearing. Bella could make out Hermione's neat writing, Ron's untidy scrawl and even a scribble that looked as though it was from the Hogwarts gamekeeper Hagrid. Dobby blinked anxiously up at Bella. "Bella Potter mustn't be angry ... Dobby hoped ... if Bella Potter thought her friends had forgotten she ... Bella Potter might not want to go back to school, miss ..." Bella wasn't listening. She made a grab for the letters, but Dobby jumped out of reach. "Bella Potter will have them, miss, if she gives Dobby her word that she will not return to Hogwarts. Ah, miss, this is a danger you must not face! Say you won't go back, miss!"**

'She won't she's too stubborn.' Fred laughed.

'Even without her friends, anything is better than that place.' George said darkly.

"**No," said Bella angrily. "Give me back my friends' letters!" **

"**Then Bella Potter leaves Dobby no choice," said the elf sadly. Before Bella could move, Dobby had darted to the bedroom door, pulled it open – and sprinted down the stairs.**

Sirius stiffened, this wasn't going to end well, he could remember the twins saying about bars on her windows. 

**Mouth dry, stomach lurching, Bella sprang after him, trying not to make a sound. She jumped the last six stairs, landing cat-like on the hall carpet, looking around for Dobby. From the dining room she heard Uncle Vernon saying, "... tell Petunia that very funny story about those American plumbers, Mr Mason, she's been dying to hear..." Bella ran up the hall into the kitchen and felt her stomach disappear. Aunt Petunia's masterpiece of a pudding, the mountain of cream and sugar violets, was floating up near the ceiling. On top of a cupboard in the corner crouched Dobby. **

"**No," croaked Bella "Please ... they'll kill me ..."**

"**Bella Potter must say she's not going back to school –"**

'I think he is trying to get you to make an oath,' said Remus slowly.

'Huh?'

'An oath like a magical contract, similar too...'

'Similar to the Triwizard Tournament,' said Bella quietly, there was a slightly awkward pause, eventually Ginny cleared her throat and continued on.

"**Dobby ... please ..."**

"**Say it, miss ..."**

"**I can't" Dobby gave her a tragic look. **

"**Then Dobby must do it, miss, for Bella Potter's own good." The pudding fell to the floor with a heart-stopping crash. Cream splattered the windows and walls as the dish shattered. With a crack Dobby vanished. There were screams from the dining room and Uncle Vernon burst into the kitchen to find Bella, rigid with shock, covered from head to foot in Aunt Petunia's pudding. At first it looked as though Uncle Vernon had glossed the whole thing over ("Just our niece – very disturbed – meeting strangers upsets her, so we kept her upstairs ...") He shooed the shocked Masons back into the dining room, promised Bella he would **

Ginny snarled her face red in anger.

'What,' Hermione moaned.

**flay her to within a inch of life when the Masons left,**

a very stony silence, Bella sighed.

'Empty threat' she said 'He always says that – '

'Then if it was an empty threat,' snarled Ginny, 'then why does it say you were shaking when you were cleaning the kitchen,' glancing at the page.

'He didn't,' Bella insisted and he didn't, he might have give her the odd whack on the head, but not beatings nothing that serious. 'I solemnly swear I was never beaten by Vernon Dursley,' she vowed looking in Sirius's eyes.

'Did he hit you, not necessarily a beating more a slap, and I want you to swear it,' he said studying her eyes, she sighed but nodded.

'Not a beating like in the first book when he clipped Dudley behind the ear sort of thing' she said quietly, 'Like... like...'

'Like the time Fred and George tried to make me do the unbreakable vow, Fred always says he reckons his left buttock still isn't the same.' said Ron helping Bella out knowing she hated the looks she was getting he wasn't thrilled by this news either, but he and Hermione would talk to her later; Mr Weasley pinched his nose.

'Ron that is completely different,' He said angrily, 'I know you're trying to help her, but do _not _compare me to that _man_!'

'What's an unbreakable vow?' Bella asked curiously braking subject.

'Well it's a vow you can't break,' said Ron.

'I figured that much out for myself, actually.' Bella said amused.

'If you break and unbreakable vow you die,' said Mr Weasley still pinching his nose. Bella sat there gobsmacked.

'What... why did –'

'They wanted me to not tell tales on them when they tried to blame me for stuff that they did.' Ron said.

'Before world war three kicks of I reckon we should get back to my charming relatives.' Bella said before the conversation was steered back to what was said.

'Hang on Bella,' said Remus, 'They hit you.'

'Not badly,' she said, 'some people do that like if a five year old has a tantrum in a shop, some mothers hit them.' They all glared at her, Ron decided to try and help his friend again.

'Maybe we should read.' He said

**and handed her a mop. Aunt Petunia dug some ice-cream out of the freezer and Bella, still shaking,**

Growls sounded around the room.

**started scrubbing the kitchen clean. Uncle Vernon might have still been able to make his deal – if it hadn't been for the owl. **

**Aunt Petunia was just handing round a box of after-dinner mints when a huge owl swooped through the dining room window, dropped a letter on Mrs Mason's head and swooped back out again. Mrs Mason screamed like a banshee and ran out of the house, shouting about lunatics. Mr Mason stayed long enough to tell the Dursleys that his wife was mortally afraid of birds of all shapes and sizes,**

'Your luck sucks,' said Neville sympathetically.

'Don't I know it,' she grumbled.

**and to ask whether this was their idea of a joke. Bella stood in the kitchen, clutching the mop for support as Uncle Vernon advanced on her,**

Sirius clutched her to him.

'Not like that Sirius,' she said softly, mainly talking to him, but she made it so the whole room heard.

**a demonic glint in his tiny eyes. "Read it!" he hissed evilly, brandishing the letter the owl had delivered. "Go on – read it!" Bella took it. It did not contain birthday greetings. **

_**Dear Miss Potter, **_

_**We have received intelligence that a Hover Charm was used at your place of residence this evening at twelve minutes passed nine. As you know, underage wizards are not permitted to perform spells outside school,**_

'Your blackmails gone,' said Fred worriedly.

'Is this why –?'

'Yes this was it.' Bella sighed.

The three brothers who went to get her growled.

_**and further spell work on your part may lead to expulsion from said school (Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage sorcery, 1875, Paragraph C). We would also ask you to remember that any magical activity which risks notice by members of the non-magical community (Muggles) is a serious offence, under section 13 of the International Confederation of Warlocks' Statue of Secrecy. **_

_**Enjoy your Holidays! **_

_**Yours sincerely, **_

_**Mafalda Hopkirk**_

_**Improper Use of Magical Office **_

_**Ministry of Magic **_

**Bella looked up from the letter and gulped. "You didn't tell us you weren't allowed to use magic outside of school," said Uncle Vernon, a mad gleam dancing in his eyes. "Forgot to mention it ... slipped your mind, I dare say ..." He was bearing down on Bella like a great bulldog, all his teeth bared. "Well, I've got news for you, girl ... I'm locking you up ... you're never going back to that school ... never ... and if you try and magic yourself out – they'll expel you!" And laughing like a maniac, he dragged Bella back upstairs.**

'Don't touch her!' hissed Hermione and Ron.

**Uncle Vernon was as bad as his word. The following morning, he paid a man to fit bars on Bella's window.**

'How did people think that was normal?' said Tonks

'You'll find out how next book,' sighed Bella thinking about St Bernadette's where Uncle Vernon, told Aunt Marge she was attending.

**He himself fitted in a cat-flap in the bedroom door, so small amounts of food could be pushed inside three times a day. They let Bella out to use the bathroom morning and evening. Otherwise, she was locked in her room around the clock. **

The Weasleys, Hermione, Sirius, Remus, McGonagall were shaking madly.

At this, a blushing Bella hid her face once again in Sirius's shoulder, Sirius had his fists clenched on Bella's back; and had lifted her once again onto his lap, she stayed there hiding her face.

The twins were yelling

Mrs Weasley too shocked for words.

Sirius was holding Bella too him, she was too embarrassed to anything but hide herself in his arms making herself as small as possible.

Remus looked feral.

There was a horrible silence, Ginny coughed and nervously read again.

**Three days later, the Dursleys were showing no sign of relenting and Bella couldn't see any way out of her situation. She lay on her bed watching the sun sinking behind the bars on her window and wondered miserably what would happen to her. **

'You wonderful big brothers are coming to rescue you,' said Fred as if it was obvious. Bella grinned at them. George's return grin was the biggest.

**What good was magicking herself out of her room if Hogwarts would expel her for doing it? Yet life at Privet Drive had reached an all-time low. Now the Dursleys knew they weren't going to wake up as fruit bats, she had lost her only weapon. Dobby might have saved Bella from the horrible things happening at Hogwarts, but the way things were going, she'd probably starve to death anyway.**

Sirius clutched her tighter, others looked at her worriedly.

'You are seeing Madam Pomfrey when we get back.' McGonagall said firmly. 'I full check up.'

'I don't need –'

'Save it Potter, you're getting one even if we have to drag you there.' Snape sneered.

**The cat-flap rattled and Aunt Petunia's hand appeared, pushing a bowel of tinned soup into the room. Bella whose insides were aching with hunger,**

More growling.

'Stop doing that,' she groaned, 'it makes it seem worse.' Everyone looked at her worriedly but the growling was restrained.

**jumped off her bed and seized it. The soup was stone cold, but she drank half of it in one gulp. Then she crossed the room to Hedwig's cage and tripped the soggy vegetables at the bottom of the bowel into her empty food tray.**

'So you didn't even eat all of it,' said Mrs Weasley horrified, though she was glad Hedwig did not starve in a situation like that...

'It's not her fault, and why should she not eat because I bought her, that doesn't seem fair.' Bella said shrugging.

**She ruffled her feathers and gave her a look of deep disgust. "It's no good turning your beak up at it, that's all we've got," said Bella grimly. She put the empty bowel back on the floor next to the cat-flap and lay back down on the bed, somehow even hungrier than she had been before the soup. Supposing she was still alive in four weeks time, what would happen if she hadn't come back? **

'As your head of house, I would have came to see why you hadn't returned to Hogwarts and if I had seen your living conditions ...' McGonagall shook her head trailing off.

'You would have snapped and landed yourself in Azkaban?' said Snape who was scowling he would do the same how _dare _Petunia do this to Lily's daughter.

'At the time she was loved by everyone all I would have to say is what I saw and I'd have been fine.' McGonagall said coolly.

'You could have called for some assistance,' said Dumbledore looking very grave at this information.

**Would someone be sent to see why she hadn't come back? Would they be able to make the Dursleys let her go? **

All three teachers nodded, McGonagall was itching for her wand that Dumbledore still had he watched her amused, he could still remember the eleven year old girl she was when he placed the Sorting hat on her head.

**The room was growing dark. Exhausted, stomach rumbling, mind spinning over the same unanswerable questions, Bella feel into an uneasy sleep. She dreamed that she was on show in a zoo, with a card reading 'Underage Witch' attached to her cage. People goggled through the bars at her as she lay, starving and weak, on a bed of straw. She saw Dobby's face in the crowd and shouted out, asking for help, but Dobby called, "Bella Potter is safe there, miss!" and vanished. Then the Dursleys appeared and Dudley rattled the bars of the cage laughing at her. "Stop it," Bella muttered, as the rattling pounded in her sore head. "Leave me alone ... cut it out ... I'm trying to sleep ..."**

'So that's what you were saying,' laughed Ron, earning a scowl of his best friend.

**She opened her eyes. Moonlight was shining through the bars on the window. And someone **_**was**_** goggling through the bars at her: a freckle-faced, red-haired, long-nosed someone. **

Ron gave a small huff at his description. Other snickered.

**Ron Weasley was outside Bella's window.**

'That's the last part of the chapter.' Ginny said holding the book in the air.

'I'll take it,' said Charlie taking the book.

"**The Burrow" **Charlie read.


	3. The Burrow

"**The Burrow" **Charlie read.

Bella sighed in relief, no more Dursleys till the next book.

"_**Ron!" **_**breathed Bella, creeping to the window and pushing it up so they could talk through the bars.**

'Sirius,' Bella whispered 'you can let me go now.' Sirius looked at her she gave him a small smile, and then he released her, allowing her to slide back onto her seat.

Mrs Weasley was silently fuming, with the Dursleys and herself. Why had she not believed her boys when they said there where bars on Bella's windows?

"**Ron, how did you – what the –?" Bella's mouth fell open as the full impact of what she was seeing hit her.**

'That was so funny,' said all three Weasley boys at the same time, she scowled at each one in turn.

**Ron was leaning out of the back window of an old turquoise car, which was parked **_**in mid-air. **_**Grinning, Ron's elder twin brothers. **

'No names,' said Fred mockingly hurt.

'Nah, don't love you that much,' Bella laughed.

"**All right, Bella?"**

'Yeah I was brilliant,' said Bella, 'thought I was going to be stuck in my room all summer, perhaps forever, then my best friend and his brothers showed up in a flying car! To come and save me but just before that I had a weird dream about being in a zoo, the most clear and non confusing moment of my life. Everything made perfect sense.' By the end she was almost laughing.

'Good you never answered our question,' said Fred

'It's bugged us all this time,' said George, Bella snorted, several people grinned or smiled.

"**What's been going on?" said Ron. "Why haven't you been answering my letters? I've asked you to stay about twelve times,**

'A house elf was stopping them,' Bella told her friend seriously, Ron laughed.

'Thanks,'

**and then Dad came home and said you got an official warning for using magic in front of muggles ..."**

"**It wasn't me – and how did he know?"**

'A lot of information for someone who just woke up,' said Tonks, 'I would be telling them to sod off and come back in the morning if they woke me up.' Everyone laughed (not Percy, Snape Mad eye) besides Dumbledore who gave out a merry chuckle.

"**He works for the Ministry," said Ron. "You **_**know**_** we're not supposed to do spells outside school –"**

"**Bit rich coming from you," said Bella, staring at the floating car. **

'Even when you've just woken up from that... odd dream you still have your wit,' said Sirius smiling.

"**Oh, this doesn't count," said Ron. "We're only borrowing this, it's Dad's, **_**we**_** didn't enchant it. But doing magic in front of those Muggles you live with ..."**

"**I told you, I didn't – but it'll take too long to explain now. Look, can you explain to them at Hogwarts that the Dursleys have locked me up and won't let me come back, and obviously I can't magic myself out, because the Ministry'll think that's the second spell I've done in three days so –"**

Hermione laughed.

'Did you think they just came for a chat,' she said still laughing, Bella felt her cheeks get hotter.

'I had just woken up,' she huffed. 'I thought they might go and get Mrs Weasley or something.' She said.

'It says here that you just want them to tell Hogwarts,' said Charlie, Bella pouted.

'Come on, let me win,' she said still pouting he laughed.

'Nope,' she crossed her arms in a fake huff but she could stop the smile on her face.

'Can we get back to the book now?' Moody growled.

"**Stop gibbering," said Ron, "we've come to take you home with us,"**

Mr and Mrs Weasley smiled at Bella who smiled back.

"**But you can't magic me out either –"**

'Why did you think the twins where there?' Bill said smiling.

'Oh shut up,' Bella huffed,

"**We don't need to," said Ron, jerking his head towards the front seats and grinning. "You forget who I've got with me."**

The twins tried to look innocent.

'That expression doesn't suite you boys' said McGonagall. 'Don't even bother.' The twins looked mock hurt.

"**Tie that round the bars," said Fred, throwing the end of a rope to Bella. **

"**If the Dursleys wake up, I'm dead," said Bella, as she tied the rope tightly around the bar and Fred revved up the car. **

'Imagine if the Muggles woke up and looked out there windows,' said Luna dreamily, before going back to humming quietly,

'They would see it as not normal, therefore decide that they were still dreaming and go back to bed, there all similar to the Dursleys on that street,' said Bella shrugging.

"**Don't worry," said Fred "and stand back." Bella moved back into the shadows next to Hedwig, who seemed to have realised how important this was and kept still and silent.**

'Smart owl,' said Remus smiling,

'She has a smart owner too,' said McGonagall frowning, 'if only she had shown it throughout school,'

'Actually professor I kind of did,' said Bella 'I always need distracting from something, it may not have been my full potential, but I am quite high up in the year.'

**The car revved louder and louder and louder then suddenly, with a crunch noise, the bars pulled clean out of the window as Fred drove straight up into the air – Bella ran back to the window to see dangling a few feet above the ground. Panting, Ron hoisting them up into the car. Bella listened anxiously, but there was no sound from the Dursleys' bedroom. **

'Do they wake up?' asked Neville, knowing how well Bella's luck worked he didn't think they could get away with this so easily.

'You'll have to see,' said Bella smiling at him.

**When the bars were safely in the back seat with Ron, Fred reversed as close as possible to Bella's window. **

"**Get in," Ron said. **

"**But all my Hogwarts stuff ... my wand ... my broomstick ..." **

'Your homework,' said Snape raising an eyebrow.

'Hogwarts stuff,' Bella said innocently.

"**Where is it?"**

"**Locked in the cupboard under the stairs, and I can't get out of this room –"**

'We wondered why we found a picture under the shelf that said Bella's room in a five year olds handwriting.' Said George frowning, they should have seen it.

'Yeah, because everyone would automatically think that meant I grew up in a cupboard,' Bella snorted. 'Don't be stupid I was careful never to bring it up, you properly wouldn't have known until I was much older, so I could escape stupid talks.' sending a meaningful look at her godfather who smiled innocently.

'That look doesn't suit you either Black,' Snape sneered, Black glared at him, Charlie started to read again.

"**No problem," said George from the front passenger seat. "Out of the way, Bella."**

**Fred and George climbed carefully through the window into Bella's room. You had to hand it to them, thought Bella, as George took an ordinary hairpin from his pocket and started to pick the lock. **

The twins took big overdone bows; that look a lot like the ones house elves gave when they nearly reached the floor. Mrs Weasley rolled her eyes, she was glad they could do it as it helped Bella, but she wasn't happy they could do it for other reasons.

"**A lot of wizards think it's a waste of time, knowing this sort of muggle trick," said Fred, "but we feel they're skills are worth learning even if they are a bit slow."**

Mr Weasley beamed at his two sons, who grinned back.

**There was a small click and the door swung open. **

"**So – we'll get your trunk – you grab what you need from here and hand it out to Ron," whispered George. **

"**Watch out for the bottom stair, it creaks," Bella whispered back, as the twins disappeared onto the dark landing. Bella dashed around her room collecting her things together and passing them out of the window to Ron.**

There hadn't been much, thought Ron angrily.

**Then she went to help Fred and George heave her trunk upstairs. Bella heard Uncle Vernon cough. At last, panting they had reached the landing, then carried the trunk through Bella's room to the open window. Fred climbed back into the car to pull with Ron, and Bella and George pushed from the bedroom side.**

Fred looked at his twin, had he always loved her without knowing about it? Or was he just putting a normal situation too far?

**Inch by inch, the trunk slid through the window. **

**Uncle Vernon coughed again. "A bit more," panted Fred, who was pulling from the inside of the car, "one good push ..."**

**Bella and George threw their shoulders against the trunk and it slid out of the window into the back seat of the car. **

'You get away with it,' said Neville in awe, 'they don't catch you.'

"**Ok, let's go," George whispered. But as Bella climbed onto the window-sill there came a sudden loud screech from behind her, followed immediately by the thunder of Uncle Vernon's voice. **

"Never mind," said Neville.

"**THAT RUDDY OWL!"**

"**I've forgotten Hedwig!" Bella tore back across the room as the landing light clicked on. She snatched up Hedwig's cage, dashed to the window and passed it out to Ron. She was scrambling back onto the chest of drawers when Uncle Vernon hammered on the unlocked door – and it crashed open. For a split second, Uncle Vernon's stood framed in the doorway; then he let out a bellow like an angry bull and dived on Bella, grabbing her by the ankle.**

Most of the group narrowed their eyes at this, while, Bella rolled hers.

**Ron, Fred and George seized Bella's arms and pulled as hard as they could. **

"**Petunia!' roared Uncle Vernon. 'She's getting away! SHE'S GETTING AWAY!' The Weasleys gave a gigantic tug and Bella's leg slid out of Uncle Vernon's grasp. – Bella was in the car – she's slammed the door shut –**

'I can't wait to get my hands on him,' snarled Sirius.

'No, you are never meeting him.' said Bella firmly. 'Ever,' Sirius raised his eyebrows but stayed silent.

**Bella was in the car and she'd slammed the door shut, Ron yelled, "Put your foot down, Fred!" and the car shot suddenly towards the moon. Bella couldn't believe it – she was free. She wound down the window, the night air whipping her hair, and looked back at the shrinking rooftops of Privet Drive. Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and Dudley all hanging, dumbstruck, out of Bella's window. **

'That was a funny sight,' said Bella happily,

'Not as funny as when you saw us and the car.' Said Fred

'That was brilliant,' George agreed, Bella gave a little huff.

'**See you next summer!' Bella yelled. **

Nearly everyone burst out laughing at this once they settled down.

**The Weasleys roared with laughter and Bella settled back in her seat, grinning ear to ear.**

"**Let Hedwig out," she told Ron, "she can fly behind us. She hasn't had a chance to stretch her wings for ages."**

'That was nice, dear,' said Mrs Weasley smiling.

**George handed the hairpin to Ron and a moment later, Hedwig had soared joyfully out of the window to glide alongside them like a ghost. **

"**So – what's the story Bella?" said Ron impatiently. "What's been happening?" Bella told them all about Dobby, the warning he'd given Bella and the fiasco with the violent pudding. There was a long shocked silence when she had finished. **

'What do you expect,' said all three at the same time.

'Did it say I thought you had been slow,' said Bella 'no it said a silence, which there was I am not judging idiots.'

"**Very fishy," said Fred finally. **

"**Definitely dodgy," agreed George. "So he wouldn't tell you who's supposed to be plotting all this stuff?"**

"**I don't think he could," said Bella. "I told you, every time he got close to letting something slip, he started banging his head against the wall.' She saw how Fred and George looked at each other. 'What do you think he was lying to me?" said Bella. **

'It is fairly farfetched,' said Tonks

'Doesn't matter,' growled Mad eye, 'constant vigilance!'

"**Well," said Fred, "Put it this way – house-elves have got powerful magic of their own, but they can't usually use it without their master's permission. I reckon old Dobby was sent to stop you coming back to Hogwarts. Someone's idea of a joke. Can you think of anyone at school with a grudge against you?"**

'Yes and they were actually his owner,' laughed Hermione.

"**Yes," said Bella and Ron together, instantly. **

"**Draco Malfoy," Bella explained. "He hates me."**

Malfoy glared at Bella and she glared straight back.

"**Draco Malfoy?" said George, turning round. "Not Lucius Malfoy's son?"**

"**Must be, it's not a very common last name, is it?" said Bella. "Why?"**

"**I've heard Dad talk about him," said George. "He was a big supporter of You Know Who," **

'Ah my best mate and Malfoy skipping along merrily,' said Bella dryly.

"**And when You Know Who disappeared," said Fred, craning, around to look at Bella,**

Bella scowled at him.

'Not like that stupid, just to talk about what we were on about.' He said irritated, rolling his eyes at her.

'I wasn't scowling at that stupid,' she said, in the same tone, 'just at the fact he didn't stay disappeared.' She said rolling her own eyes.

"**Lucius Malfoy came back saying he'd never meant any of it. Load of Dung – Dad reckons he was right in You Know Who's inner circle."**

'Correct!' said Bella brightly.

'Just because he was there – '

'He led the attack on the Quidditch World cup.' said Bella, interrupting him. 'That shows he was highly ranked,'

'How do you – '

'Voldemort told me' she said calmly.

Everyone paled dramatically.

**Bella had heard these rumours about Malfoy's family before, and they didn't surprise her at all. Draco Malfoy made Dudley Dursley look like a kind, thoughtful and sensitive boy. **

'I wouldn't go that far.' Ron said angrily, he couldn't believe how they had treated his best mate.

'Ron.' said Hermione softly, she thought the same but the look on Bella's face stopped her from pursuing it.

"**I don't know if the Malfoys own a house-elf ..." said Bella. **

"**Well, whoever owns him will be old wizarding family, and they'll be rich," said Fred. **

'So us,' said Malfoy smugly.

'May I remind you that your father was outsmarted by a twelve year old,' Hermione said, she was glaring at Malfoy. 'So shut up!'

"**Yeah, Mum's always wishing we had a house-elf to do the ironing," said George. **

'Maybe Dobby would want to work for you.' said Bella 'I mean, I know he wants paying but he want paying to buy wool I think to make more cloths, so if you get him wool or something I'm sure he'd love it.'

'He is getting paid at Hogwarts' said Hermione angrily, 'He can set an example for the other house elves, there slaves.' she finished in a disgusted voice.

'Don't harp on about spew,' grumbled Ron.

'It's not Spew!' yelled Hermione, 'It's S.P.E.W!'

Ron went to argue back,

'Weasley! Granger! Be quiet!' Snape hissed.

'Anyway,' said Bella, 'Dobby? Shall I ask him?' Mrs Weasley smiled.

'You can ask him and if he wants to then he can.' She said.

"**But all we've got is a lousy old ghoul in the attic and gnomes all over out garden. House-elves come with bug old manors and castles and places like that, you wouldn't catch one in our house ..."**

**Bella was silent. Judging by the fact that Draco Malfoy usually had the best of everything, his family was rolling in wizard gold; she could just see Malfoy strutting around a large manor house. Sending a family servant to stop Bella going back to Hogwarts. It also sounded exactly like the sort of thing Malfoy would do. Had Bella been stupid to take Dobby's warning seriously?**

McGonagall face hardened thinking about all the dangers Bella had been in that year.

"**I'm glad we came to get you, anyway," said Ron.**

'Thank you' Bella said warmly, 'I don't think I did thank you, I got a bit distracted by gnomes and things'

'Things being mum caught them and she started screaming at them?' asked Bill excitedly, Bella went pink.

"**I was getting really worried when you didn't answer any of my letters. I thought it was Errol's fault at first –"**

All the Weasleys sighed, even Percy, at the old owl.

"**Who's Errol?"**

"**Our owl. He's ancient. It wouldn't be the first time he'd collapsed on a delivery. So then I tried to borrow Hermes –"**

Bella thought that maybe she would buy a owl for the Weasleys on Mr or Mrs Weasleys birthday so that poor Errol can retire and become a family pet.

"_**Who**_**?"**

"**The owl Mum and Dad bought Percy when he was made prefect," said Fred from the front. **

"**But Percy wouldn't lend him to me," said Ron. "Said he needed him."**

Percy went pink, feeling his neck burn thinking about Penelope and there nasty break up last month, over Potter and his family.

"**Percy's been acting very odd this summer," said George, frowning "And he has been sending a lot of letters and spending lots of time shut up in his room ... I mean, there's only so many times you can polish a prefect badge ...**

Prefects past and present either blushed or glared at both twins not remembering which is which.

'Hey I didn't say it!' said Fred

'How do we know you're not George?' asked Charlie narrowing his eyes.

'He is George,' said Bella grinning sending a small wink to the real George, 'his just trying to trick you into glaring at, Fred.'

'Bella you got it wrong!'

'No, I haven't,' she said then sent him a small wink too. Fred gaped at her.

'I am so proud!' he cried grabbing her in a big rib cracking hug.

'A brilliant prank!' he said

'You mean that's George?' said Mr Weasley looking at his son who was sitting down.

'No,' said Bella seriously, confusing everyone further, 'it's Forge!' everyone cracked a smile.

"**You're driving to far west, Fred," he added, pointing to the compass on the dashboard. Fred twiddled the steering wheel. **

"**So, does your dad know you've got his car?" said Bella, guessing the answer. **

"**Er, no," said Ron, "he had to work tonight. Hopefully we'll be able to get it back in the garage without Mum noticing we flew it." **

Bill and Charlie snorted loudly.

'I thought you two were prankster geniuses.' He said shaking his head as though ashamed.

"**What does your dad do at the Ministry of Magic, anyway?"**

"**He works in the most boring department," said Ron. "The Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office."**

'Sorry dad,' said Ron his ears burning, Mr Weasley smiled at his youngest son.

'It's alright Ron,' he said.

"**The **_**what**_**?"**

"**It's all to do with bewitching things that are Muggle-made, you know, in case they end up back in a Muggle shop or house. Like, last year, some old witch died and her tea set was sold to an antiques shop. This Muggle women bought it, took it home and tried to serve tea in it. It was a nightmare – Dad was working overtime for weeks."**

"**What happened?"**

"**The teapot went berserk and squirted boiling tea all over the place and one man ended up in hospital with the sugar tongs clamped to his nose. Dad was going frantic, it's only him and an old warlock called Perkins in the office, and they had to do memory charms and all sorts to cover it up ..."**

Tonks frowned remembering Arthurs office it was tiny. 

"**But your dad ... this car ..." Fred laughed. **

"**Yeah, Dad's mad about everything to do with Muggles, our shed's full of Muggle stuff. He takes it apart, puts spells on it and puts it back together again. If he raided out house he'd have to put himself straight under arrest. It drives Mum mad."**

'Imagine,' grinned Fred he pointed at George.

'I Arthur Weasley am arresting you Arthur Weasley for charges – '

'You'll never catch me!' yelled George running from his twins until Fred dived on him pinning him to the floor.

'Alright that's enough now boys,' said Dumbledore his eyes twinkling.

"**That's the main road," said George, peering down through the windscreen. "We'll be there in ten minutes ... just as well, it's getting light ..." **

**A faint pinkish glow was visible along the horizon to the east. Fred brought the car down lower and Bella saw a dark patchwork of fields and clumps of trees. **

"**We're a little way out from the village," said George. "Ottery St Catchpole ..." Lower and lower went the flying car. The edge of a brilliant red sun was now gleaming through the trees. **

'I reckon you might get away with this,' said Bill thoughtfully.

'Nah, Bella's with them, they got her luck with the twins skill it about balance out the risks, then you've got mums clock to knock the odds in her favour.' Ginny explained, ignoring the glare from her green eyed friend.

"**Touchdown!" said Fred as, with a slight bump, they hit the ground. They landed next to a tumbledown garage in a small yard and Bella looked out for the first time at Ron's house. **

The Weasley family listened closely to what Bella thought of their home.

**It looked as though it had once been a large stone pigsty, but extra rooms had been added here and there until it was several storeys high and so crooked it looked as though it was held up by magic (which Bella reminded herself it probably was). Four or five chimneys were perched on top of the red roof. A lop-sided sign stuck in the ground near the entrance read 'The Burrow'. Round the front door lay a jumble of wellington boots and a very rusty cauldron. Several fat brown chickens were peaking their way through the yard. She loved it; it was almost a magical version of the house she dreamt of sharing with her parents as a child. **

All of the Weasleys smiled at that.

"**It's not much," said Ron. **

"**It's brilliant," said Bella happily, thinking of Privet Drive. They got out the car. **

"**Now, we'll go upstairs really quietly," said Fred, "and wait for Mum to call us for breakfast. Then Ron, you come bounding downstairs going, 'Mum, look who turned up in the night!' and she'll be all pleased to see Bella and no one need ever know we flew the car."**

'Did you really think that would work,' said Mrs Weasley narrowing her eyes.

'Er,'

'You boys should know better than that.' She said glaring at her three sons.

"**Right," said Ron. "Come on, Bella, I sleep at the –"**

'Busted!' said Sirius, Remus, Bill, Charlie, Tonks and Neville grinning.

**Ron had gone a nasty greenish colour, his eyes fixed on the house. The other three wheeled around. Mrs Weasley was marching across the yard, scattering chickens, and for a short, plump, kind-faced woman, it was remarkable how much she looked like a sabre-toothed tiger. **

People didn't laugh at the comparison knowing it was true, though Mrs Weasley did go a little pink.

"_**Ah**_**," said Fred. **

"**Oh dear," said George. **

'Why didn't you use Bella's Invisibility cloak?' Luna asked dreamily.

'I don't think they would all fit.' Said Dumbledore to the blonde girl.

**Mrs Weasley came to a halt in front of them, her hands on her hips, staring from one guilty face to the next. She was wearing a flowered apron with a wand sticking out of the pocket. **

"_**So**_**," she said. **

"**Morning, Mum," said George, in what he clearly thought was a jaunty, winning voice.**

Everyone snorted.

'And you actually thought that would work?' said Charlie looking at him as though he was seeing him in a new light.

'Hey, if you show you're guilty straight away, your grounded, try and squirm out you might get off free.' Said George.

'And queue mums explosion.' whispered Ginny quietly to, Luna.

"**Have you any idea how worried I've been?" said Mrs Weasley in a deadly whisper. **

"**Sorry, Mum, but see, we had to –"**

**All three of Mrs Weasley's sons were taller than she was, but they cowered as her rage broke over them. **

'Don't blame them,' Sirius whispered he had been under the rage several times since it was scary.

"_**Beds empty! No note! Car gone ... could have crashed ... out of my mind with worry**__**... did you care? ... never, as long as long as I've lived ... you wait until your father gets home, we never had trouble like this from Bill or Charlie or Percy ..."**_

"**Perfect Percy," muttered Fred. **

"**YOU COULD DO WITH TALKING A LEAF OUT OF PERCY'S BOOK!" yelled Mrs Weasley , prodding a finger in Fred's chest. "You could have **_**died**_**, you could have been **_**seen**_**, you could have lost your father his **_**job –**_**"**

**It seemed to go on for hours. Mrs Weasley had shouted herself hoarse before she turned on Bella, who backed away. **

'I wasn't going to yell at you, dear,' said Mrs Weasley kindly, but she did send filthy looks to her sons.

"**I'm very pleased to see you, Bella, dear," she said, "Come in and have some breakfast."**

**She turned and walked back into house and Bella, after a nervous glance at Ron, who nodded encouraging, following her.**

Mrs Weasley looked at Bella worriedly, had she scared her that much, she looked younger than Ginny at the time, especially in those awful cloths. Bella sent her a smile that said, it's ok I'm fine.

**The kitchen was small and rather cramped. There was a scrubbed wooden table and chair in the middle and Bella sat down on the edge of this seat, looking around. She had never been in a wizard house before. **

**The clock on the wall opposite her had only one hand and no numbers at all. Written around the edge were things like 'Time to make tea', 'Time to feed the chickens' and 'You're late'. Books were stacked three deep on the mantelpiece, books with titles like **_**Charm Your Own Cheese, Enchantment in Baking and One Minute Feasts – It's magic!**_** And unless Bella's ears were deceiving her, the old radio next to the sink had just announced that coming up was 'Witching Hour, with the popular singing sorceress, Celestina Warbeck'.**

Everyone but Mrs Weasley pulled a face at the sound of this singer.

**Mrs Weasley was clattering around, cooking breakfast a little haphazardly, throwing dirty looks at them as she threw sausages into the frying pan. Every now and then she muttered things like "don't know **_**what**_** you were thinking of" and "**_**never**_** would have believed it".**

"**I don't blame **_**you**_**, dear," she assured Bella, tipping eight or nine sausages onto her plate. "Arthur and I have been worried about you too. Just last night we were saying we'd come and get you ourselves if you hadn't written back to Ron by Friday.**

Remus frowned.

'What's up with you?' Bella asked him.

'I wish they hadn't rescued you know.' he said, everyone stared at him as though he was crazy.

'What?' Sirius snapped at him glaring.

'Imagine Molly – and Arthur's for that matter – reaction if they saw what was going on.' Everyone besides Percy and Draco, were imagining Mr and Mrs Weasley each fantasy varied though they all ended in Dudley crying clutching his fat bottom in fear. Bella's grin was the biggest.

**But really" (she was now adding three fried eggs to her plate), "flying an illegal car halfway across the country – anyone could have seen you –"**

**She flicked her wand casually at the washing-up the in sink, which began cleaning itself, clinking gently in the background. **

"**It was **_**cloudy**_**, Mum!" said Fred. **

"**You keep your mouth shut when you're eating!" Mrs Weasley snapped. **

"**They were starving her, Mum!" said George. **

"**And you!" said Mrs Weasley , but it was with a slightly soften expression**

'Ha mum loves me more!' said George laughing at his twin.

'What are you talking about Fred she loves me more,' said Fred rolling his eyes.

Bella laughed 'Stop trying to confuse everyone it's cruel,' she said though she still looked amused. 'Mrs Weasley loves you both the same, now shut up.'

**that she started cutting Bella bread and buttering it for her. **

**At that moment, there was a diversion in the form of a small, red-headed figure in a long nightdress, who appeared in the kitchen , gave a small squeal, and ran out again. **

'**Ginny,' said Ron in an undertone to Bella. 'My sister. She's been talking about you all summer.' **

'**Yeah, she'll be wanting your autograph, Bella,' grinned Fred,**

Ginny glared at her brother fiercely, he gulped and hid behind his twin.

**but he caught his mother's eye and bent his face over his plate without another word. **

**Nothing more was said until all four plates were clean, which took a surprisingly short time. **

"**Blimey, I'm tired," yawned Fred, setting down his knife and fork at last. "I think I'll go to bed and –"**

'You thought you could go to bed as well,' laughed Remus, they huffed crossing their arms across their chest at the exact same time.

"**You will not," snapped Mrs Weasley. "It's your own fault you've been up all night. You're going to de-gnome the garden for me, they're getting completely out of hand again."**

"**Oh, Mum –"**

"**And you two," she said, glaring at Ron and George. "You can go up to bed, dear," she added Bella. "You didn't ask them to fly that wretched car."**

'Nope but it was fun,' Bella said quietly.

**But Bella, who felt wide awake, said quickly, "I'll help Ron, I've never seen a de-gnoming –"**

'It's boring,' complained Ginny who had to do it a lot before she went to Hogwarts.

"It's only boring when you can't throw them very far,' said Fred wisely

'Boring people find things boring,' said George then quickly fell quiet as his sisters glare was a worthy competitor of a Basilisks, but he knew the death would be far more painful.

"**That's very sweet of you, dear, but it's dull work," said Mrs Weasley. "Now, let's see what Lockhart's got to say on the subject." **

Bella and Ron's faces darkened.

**And she pulled a heavy book from the stack on the mantelpiece. George groaned. **

'As he should,' said Bella thinking about how useless he was.

"**Mum, we know how to de-gnome a garden."**

**Bella looked at the cover of Mrs Weasley's book. Written across it in a fancy gold letters were the words: **_**Gilderoy Lockhart's Guide to Household Pests. **_**There was a big photograph on the front of a very good-looking wizard with wavy blond hair and bright blue eyes. As always in the wizarding world, the photograph was moving; the wizard, who Bella supposed was Gilderoy Lockhart, kept winking cheekily up at them all. **

**Mrs Weasley beamed down at him. "Oh, he is marvellous," she said, "he knows his household pests all right, what a wonderful book ..."**

"**Mum fancies him," said Fred, in a very audible whisper. **

"**Don't be so ridiculous, Fred," said Mrs Weasley, her cheeks rather pink. "All right if you think you know better than Lockhart, **

'Mrs Weasley, everyone knows better than Lockhart.' Bella said seriously.

'Man's an idiot.' Ginny said.

'I dunno some of his lessons were funny,' said Ron ' I mean "Ah Bella today you will play" – Ouch sorry ok sorry!' Bella whacked her best friend hard in the arm.

'Git,' she muttered angrily at him.

**you can go and get on with it, and woe betide you if there's a single gnome in that garden when I come out to inspect it."**

**Yawning and grumbling, the Weasleys slouched outside with Bella behind them. The garden was large and, in Bella's eyes, exactly what a garden should be.**

All the Weasleys smiled again.

**The Dursleys wouldn't have liked it – there were plenty of weeds, and the grass needed cutting – but there were gnarled trees all around the walls, plants Bella had never seen spilling from every flowerbed and a big green pond full of frogs. **

"**Muggles have garden gnomes, too, you know," Bella told Ron as they crossed the lawn. **

'Not quite the same though is it.' laughed Remus, Bella frowned at him.

"**Yeah, I've seen those things they think are gnomes," said Ron, bend double with his head in a peony bush "Like fat little Father Christmases with fishing rods ..." There was a violent scuffing noise, the peony bush shuddered and Ron straightened up. "**_**This **_**is a gnome," he said grimly. **

"**Gerroff me! Gerroff me!" squealed the gnome. **

**It was certainly nothing like Father Christmas. It was small and leathery-looking , with a large, knobbly, bald head exactly like a potato.**

Everyone laughed at Bella's description of the gnome.

**Ron held it at arm's length as it kicked out at him with its horny little feet; he grasped it around the ankles and turned it upside-down. **

"**This is what you have to do," he said. He raised the gnome above his head ('Gerroff me!') and started to swing it in great circles like a lasso. Seeing the shock look on Bella's face, Ron added, "It doesn't**_** hurt**_** them – you've just got to make them dizzy so they can't find their way back to the gnomeholes." He let go of the gnome's ankles: it flew twenty feet into the air. **

'Pitiful,' said Sirius shaking his head, Bella and the twins laughed.

"**Pitiful," said Fred. "I bet I can get mine beyond that stump." Bella learnt quickly not to feel too sorry for the gnomes. She decided just to drop the first one she caught over the hedge, but the gnome, sensing weakness, sank it's razor-sharp teeth into Bella's finger**

'Ouch,' said Sirius, Ron, Bill, Charlie, twins, Ginny, Ron and Neville sympathetically.

'Oh maybe you had been gifted by the Gernumblies!' Luna said excitedly.

'Huh?'

'Gnomes or their real names Gernumbi gardensi's give you a gift anything from merish to singing opera.' Said Luna her eyes widening, Hermione snorted but didn't comment.

**and she had a hard time shaking it off until –**

"**Wow, Bella – that must've been fifty feet ..." **

**The air was soon thick with flying gnomes. **

"**See they're not too bright," said George, seizing five or six gnomes at once. "The moment they know the de-gnoming's going on they storm up to have a look. You'd think they'd of learnt by now to stay put." Soon, the crowd of gnomes in the field started walking away in a straggling line, their little shoulders hunched. **

'Bless them.' Said Mr Weasley fondly, Draco smirked you wouldn't dare catch a gnome in their garden.

"**They'll be back," said Ron, as they watched the gnomes disappear into the hedge on the other side of the field. "They love it here ... Dad's too soft with them, he thinks they're funny ..." **

Mr Weasley smiled they really were, Mrs Weasley frowned at her husband.

**Just then, the front door slammed. **

"**He's back!" said George. "Dad's home!"**

Mr Weasley beamed at his son; he was glad that he had such a good family despite the times they were living in.

**They hurried through the garden and back into the house. Mr Weasley slumped in a kitchen chair with his glasses off and his eyes closed. He was a thin man, going bald,**

Mr Weasley patted the bald part of his head.

**but the little hair he had was as red as his children's. He was wearing long green robes, which were dusty and travel-worn. **

"**What a night," he mumbled, groping for the teapot as they all sat around him. "Nine raids. Nine! And old Mundungus Fletcher tried to put a hex on me when I had my back turned ..."**

All the kids laughed, Mr Weasley chuckled while others frowned.

**Mr Weasley took a long gulp of tea and sighed. **

"**Find anything Dad?" said Fred eagerly. **

"**All I got were a few shrinking door-keys and a biting kettle," yawned Mr Weasley. "There was some pretty nasty stuff that wasn't my department, through. Mortlake was taken away for questioning about some odd ferrets,**

The kids who weren't Draco snorted.

**but that's the Committee on Experimental Charms, thank goodness ..." **

"**Why would anyone bother to make door-keys shrink?" said George. **

"**Just Muggle-baiting," sighed Mr Weasley. "Sell them a key that keeps shrinking to nothing so they can never find it when they need it ... Of course, it's very hard to convict anyone because no Muggle would admit their key keeps shrinking – they'll go to any lengths to ignore magic, even if its staring at them in the face ... but the things our lot have taken to enchanting, you wouldn't believe –"**

"**LIKE CARS, FOR INSTANCE?"**

'Busted,' laughed Sirius in his bark like laugh.

**Mrs Weasley appeared, holding a long poker like a sword. **

Ron snorted thinking about the sword Bella came out with in the chamber, Bella sent him a look that said Don't-even-go-there!

**Mr Weasley's eyes jerked open. He stared guiltily at his wife. **

"**C-cars, Molly, dear?"**

"**Yes, Arthur, cars," said Mrs Weasley, her eyes flashing. **

"**Imagine a wizard buying a rusty old car and telling his wife all he wanted to do was take it apart to see how it worked, while **_**really**_** he was enchanting it to**_** fly**_**." Mr Weasley blinked. **

Even Remus couldn't help but smirk as Sirius attempted to hide his snicker with a cough.

"**Well, dear, I think you'll find that he would be quite within the law to do that, even if, er, he maybe would have done better to, um, tell his wife that he wasn't **_**intending**_** to fly the car, the fact that it **_**could**_** fly wouldn't –"**

"**Arthur Weasley, you made sure there was a loophole when you wrote that law!" shouted Mrs Weasley.**

The married couple were a shade of beetroot their children had turned again and again.

"**Just so you could carry on tinkering with all that Muggle rubbish in your shed! And for your information, Bella arrived this morning in the car you weren't intending to fly!"**

"**Bella?" said Mr Weasley blankly. "Bella who?"**

**He looked around, saw Bella and jumped. **

'My face isn't that scary is it?' she said trying to break the tension.

'Well your no Dudley,' said Ron, Bella sighed.

'Why can't I be as good looking as Dudley,' she said in mock tears, the twins and Ron laughed.

"**Good Lord, is it Bella Potter? Very pleased to meet you, Ron's told us so much about –"**

'Nice subject change Arthur,' said Remus

'I tried,' he said smiling though he watched his wife carefully from the corner of his eye.

"_**Your sons flew that car to Bella's house and back last night**_**!" shouted Mrs Weasley. "What have you got to say about that, eh?"**

'Bet he thinks it's brilliant,' laughed Sirius.

"**Did you really?" said Mr Weasley eagerly. "Did it go all right? I-I mean," he faltered, as spark flew from Mrs Weasley's eyes, "that – that was very wrong, boys – very wrong indeed ..."**

Everyone besides Mrs Weasley, Percy, Snape and Draco were laughing.

"**Let's leave them to it," muttered Ron to Bella, as Mrs Weasley swelled like a bullfrog. "Come on, I'll show you my bedroom." They slipped out of the kitchen down the narrow passageway to an uneven staircase, which zigzagged its way up through the house. On the third landing, a door stood ajar. Bella just caught sight of a pair of bright brown eyes staring at her before it closed with a snap. **

"**Ginny," said Ron. "You don't know how weird it is for her to be this shy, she never shuts up normally –" **

Ginny glared at her brother who hid behind Hermione in fear.

'I am so glad her wands been taken of her.' Ron whispered in Hermione's ear, causing her to giggle.

**They climbed two more flights of stairs until they reached a door with peeling paint and a small plaque on it, saying 'Ronald's Room'. Bella stepped in, her head almost touching the sloping ceiling **

'Hang on,' said Fred 'then her head was almost touching _her head!_'

'See was only the height of a ten year old.' George gasped.

'Shut up you two!' Bella hissed. 'Or I'll tell McGonagall about –'

'Never mind,' they said together hastily, McGonagall narrowed her eyes.

**and blinked. It was like walking into a furnace: nearly everything on Ron's room was a violent orange: the bedspread, the walls every inch of the shabby wallpaper with posters of the seven witches and wizards, all wearing bright orange robes, carrying broomsticks and waving energetically. **

'The Cannons!' said Sirius enthusiastically, Ron nodded.

'There two only fans!' cried Charlie.

'It's a miracle!' said Bill chortling.

'Oi there a good team,' said Ron angrily.

"**Your Quidditch team?" said Bella. **

'What's yours?' Sirius asked she shrugged at him.

'I dunno, haven't really looked.' She said honestly.

"**The Chudley Cannons," said Ron, pointing at the orange bedspread, which was emblazoned with two giant black Cs and a speeding cannon ball. "Ninth in the league."**

'That's not so bad,' said Sirius, Ron grimaced they had finished last that year... like every year.

**Ron's spellbooks were stacked untidily in a corner, next to a pile of comics which all seemed to figure **_**The Adventures of Martin Miggs, the Mad Muggle. **_**Ron's magic wand was lying on top of a fish tank full of frogspawn on the window-sill, next to his fat grey rat, Scabbers, **

A lot of scowling at the book.

**who was snoozing in a patch of sun. **

**Bella stepped over a pack of Self-Shuffling playing cards on the floor and looked out of the tiny window. In the field far below she could see a gang of gnomes sneaking, one by one, back through the Weasleys' hedge. Then she turned to look at Ron, who was watching her nervously, as though waiting for her opinion. **

"**It's a bit small," said Ron quickly. "Not like that room you had with the Muggles. And I'm right underneath the ghoul in the attic, he's always banging on the pipes and groaning ..."**

'That's where you get your groaning and whining from, Ron.' Said Bella, grinning at Neville who laughed. Ron huffed at them.

'That ghoul would be a good actor as me then,' he said sarcastically, 'well have to hunt something and for the family's protection we'll dress up the ghoul and say I have some disease.' Bella and Hermione shared a look and she wrote it down.

**But Bella, grinning widely, said, "This is the best house I've ever been in." Ron's ears went pink. **

'That's the end of the chapter' said Charlie.

'Who's next?'

'I don't think I've read at all.' Said Mrs Weasley 'I'll read, give it here Charlie, dear.' Charlie passed the book to his mother.

'After this I think we should have a break.' Sirius said wrapping an arm around his goddaughter who groaned.

'Of course I will make lunch' she said then cleared her throat.

"**Flourish and Blotts" **Mrs Weasley read.


	4. Flourish and Blotts

"**Flourish and Blotts" **Mrs Weasley read.

'This will have Bella getting lost in the floo network wont it,' laughed Ron, Bella stuck her tongue out at her best mate and crossed her arms over her chest.

**Life at The Burrow was as different as possible from life at Privet Drive. The Dursleys liked everything neat and ordered;**

'To the extreme,' Bella grumbled if there was even a pinch of muck...

**the Weasleys' house burst with the strange and unexpected. Bella got a shock the first time she looked in the mirror over the kitchen mantelpiece and it shouted, '**_**Tuck your shirt in, scruffy!'**_

'That was so funny,' laughed Ron, 'you jumped about ten feet in the air.' Again Bella stuck out her tongue.

**The ghoul in the attic howled and dropped pipes whenever he felt things were getting too quiet, and small explosions from Fred and George's room were considered perfectly normal. **

Mrs Weasley frowned at the two boys thinking of what caused the explosions. The twins grinned thinking about Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes it was all because of Bella.

**What Bella found most unusual about life at Ron's, however, wasn't the talking mirror or the clanking ghoul: it was the fact that everybody there seemed to like her. **

'Of course we liked you,' said Mr Weasley

'You a very sweet person,' said Mrs Weasley.

'Selfless, smart, kind, brave, funny, witty...' the twins started to name her qualities as she steadily felt her face get hotter and hotter.

'And I suppose you're not that ugly.' concluded Fred winking at her.

'Just keep reading.' She mumbled hiding in Sirius's shoulder.

**Mrs Weasley fussed over the state of her socks and tried to force her to eat fourth helping to every meal. **

Mr Weasley chuckled fondly at his wife, remembering the conversations.

'_Come on, dear you really should eat,'_

'_I am full Mrs Weasley honestly, let Ron have that.' _

'_Come on dear your still a bit peaky, no need to be polite just take another plate.' _

'_Really, Mrs Weasley, I'm full it was delicious but I couldn't eat another bite.'_

Mr Weasley let out another chuckle.

**Mr Weasley liked Bella to sit next to him at dinner table so that he could bombard her with questions about Muggles, asking her to explain how things like plugs and the postal service worked. **

Bella snickered remembering Mrs Weasleys letter.

"_**Fascinating!**_**" he would say, as Bella talked him through using a telephone. "**_**Ingenious**_**, really, how many ways Muggles have found of getting along without magic." **

Bella snickered again remembering Ron's phone call.

'What you laughing at?' asked Remus,

'Ron called me the next year,' she explained still grinning. 'I could hear him from the other side of the room.' Ron went red as she told them this information.

**Bella heard from Hogwarts one sunny morning about a week after she had arrived at The Burrow. She and Ron went down to breakfast to find Mr and Mrs Weasley and Ginny sitting at the kitchen table. The moment she saw Bella, Ginny accidentally knocked her porridge bowl on the floor with a loud clatter. Ginny seemed prone to knocking things over whenever Bella entered a room. **

'I am glad I'm over that,' groaned Ginny.

'Me too,' said Bella smiling at her.

'You were so funny being all star struck. I mean who would want to idolise that!' said Fred waving his arms at Bella.

'Thank Fred.' She said dryly.

**She dived under the table to retrieve the bowel and emerged with her face glowing like the setting sun. Pretending she hadn't noticed this, Bella sat down and took the toast Mrs Weasley offered her. **

"**Letters from the school," said Mr Weasley, passing Bella and Ron identical envelopes of yellowish parchment, addressed in green ink. "Dumbledore already knows your hear Bella – doesn't miss a trick that man. You two've got them, too," he added, as Fred and George ambled in, still in their pyjamas. **

**For a few minutes there was silence as they all read their letters. Bella's told her to catch the Hogwarts Express as usual from King's Cross station on September first. There was also a list of the new books she'd need for the coming year. **

**Second-year students will require: **

_**The standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 by Miranda Goshawk **_

_**Break with a Banshee by Gilderoy Lockhart**_

'Annoying,' spat Bella.

_**Gadding with Ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart**_

'Double crossing,' muttered Ron furiously

_**Holidays with Hags by Gilderoy Lockhart**_

'Fame loving,' Bella growled.

_**Travels with Trolls by Gilderoy Lockhart**_

'Cowardly,'

_**Voyages with Vampires by Gilderoy Lockhart**_

'Fake,'

_**Wandering with Werewolves by Gilderoy Lockhart**_

'Frauding,'

_**Year with the Yeti by Gilderoy Lockhart**_

'Git!' they both spat.

'You don't like him then?' said Sirius amused.

'He tried to... oh come on everyone so far.' Bella said furiously.

'What?'

'Every defence teachers had tried to kill or harm me; and only one accidentally.' She said furiously, Sirius and Remus paled.

'Umbridge?' said McGonagall frowning. Bella looked at her own knees and said.

'She hasn't tried to kill me yet,'

'Harm?' Hermione pressed, knowing about the detentions.

'With words,' said Bella sending a glare at Hermione, Hermione glared at the clever answer that she had given so if they remembered it she would say that she did hurt her with words. She continued to glare at the smug smile on Bella's face.

**Fred, who finished his own list, peered over at Bella's. **

'**You've been told to get all Lockhart's books, too!' he said. 'The new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher must be a fan – bet it's a witch.**"

'Worse, Fred, much worse,' Bella said as though she had been told the world was coming to an end.

**At this point, Fred caught his mother's eye and quickly busied himself with the marmalade. **

"**That lot won't come cheap," said George, with a quick look at his parents. "Lockhart's books are really expensive ..."**

"**Well, we'll manage," said Mrs Weasley, but she looked worried. "I expect we'll be able to pick up a lot of Ginny's things second-hand."**

'If it wasn't for the fact I was the same height as you I properly would have got your robes,' Ginny said laughing.

'Wait, is Ginny taller than you know?' Ron said looking at the two of them.

'Oh please no,' Bella moaned.

'Stand up both of you.' Mr Weasley said, they did it and turned back to back.

'Ha Ginny's taller,' laughed Ron.

'She had been since the summer before my fourth year.' Bella grumbled.

'Aw poor little Bellakins,' cooed the twins.

'She's more developed than you as well.' Hermione noted, making both girls flush.

'Hermione!' said both girls angrily.

'You'll grow next year,' Remus tried to comfort. 'Both your mum and your dad were small till about end of fifth year.'

'Though your mum was still quite small.' Sirius laughed, earning a scowl from Bella.

"**Oh, are you starting Hogwarts this year?" Bella asked Ginny. She nodded, blushing to the roots of her flaming hair, and put her elbow in the butter dish. Fortunately nobody saw this except Bella, because just then Ron's elder brother Percy walked in.**

'Enter the prat,' muttered Fred glaring at his traitor brother.

**He was already dressed, his Hogwarts prefect badge pinned to his knitted tank top. **

"**Morning, all," said Percy briskly. "Lovely day."**

**He sat down in the only remaining chair but leapt up again almost immediately, pulling back from underneath him a moulting grey feather duster – at least, that was what Bella thought it was, until she saw it was breathing. **

'Errol,' they all sighed again.

"**Errol!" said Ron, taking the limp owl from Percy and extracting a letter from under its wing. "**_**Finally – **_**he's got Hermione's answer. I wrote to her saying we were going to try and rescue you from the Dursley's."**

**He carried Errol to a perch just inside the back door and tried to stand him on it, but Errol flopped straight off again so Ron laid him on the draining board instead, muttering, "Pathetic." Then he ripped open Hermione's letter and read it out loud: **

_**Dear Ron, and Bella if you're there, **_

_**I hope everything went all right that Bella is OK and that you didn't do anything illegal to get her out, Ron, because that would get Bella into trouble, too. I've been really worried and if Bella is all right, will you please let me know at once, but perhaps it would be better if you use a different owl, because I think another delivery might finish this one off.**_

_**I'm very busy with school work, of course – "**_**How can she be?" said Ron in horror. "We're on holiday!" – **_**and we're going to London next Wednesday to buy my school books. Why don't we meet in Diagon Alley?**_

_**Let me know what's happening as soon as you can, love from Hermione. **_

**"Well, that fits in nicely, we can go and get all your things then, too," said Mrs Weasley, starting to clear the table. "What're you all up to today?"**

**Bella, Ron, Fred and George were planning to go up the hill to a small paddock the Weasleys owned. It was surrounded by trees that blocked it from the view of the village below, meaning that they could practice Quidditch there, as long as they didn't fly too high. They couldn't use real Quidditch balls, which would have been hard to explain if they had escaped and flown away over the village; instead they threw apples for each other to catch. They took in it turns to ride Bella's Nimbus two thousand, which was easily the best broom; Ron's old Shooting Star was often outstripped by passing butterflies.**

Ron went pink.

**Five minutes later they were marching up the hill, broomsticks over their shoulders. They had asked Percy if he wanted to join them, but he said he was too busy. Bella had only seen Percy at meal-times so far; he stayed shut in his room the rest of the time.**

Percy was as red as his hair, as he remembered Penny.

"**Wish I knew what he was up to," said Fred frowning. "He's not himself. His exam results came the day before you did; twelve O. and he hardly gloated at all."**

"**Ordinary Wizarding Levels," George explained, seeing Bella's puzzled look.**

'Thanks someone needs to educate me,' she grinned.

'No problem,' he grinned back.

"**Bill got twelve, too. If we're not careful, we'll have another Head Boy in the family. I don't think I could stand the shame."**

The twins scowled remembering what happened, with Percy.

'The shame continues,' George said

'you better not be head boy Ron.' Fred added.

'And what is wrong with being head boy.' Bill said glaring at his twin brothers.

'Yes what exactly.' Charlie added cracking his knuckles.

'Nothing good chaps.' They said together.

**Bill was the oldest Weasley brother. He and the next brother, Charlie, had already left Hogwarts. Bella had never met either of them, but knew that Charlie was in Romania, studying dragons, and Bill in Egypt, working for the wizards' bank Gringotts. **

The two mentioned smiled at her.

'We shall be revealed in good time.' said Charlie mysteriously, Bella rolled her eyes and Mrs Weasley kept reading.

"**Dunno how Mum and Dad are going to afford all our school stuff this year," said George after a while. "Five sets of Lockhart books! And Ginny needs robes and a wand and everything ..." Bella said nothing.**

The room felt a little awkward.

**She felt a bit awkward. **

'Don't be.' Mrs Weasley said smiling.

**Stored in an underground vault at Gringotts in London was a small fortune that her parents had left her. Of course, it was only in the wizarding world that she had money; you couldn't use Galleons, Sickles and Knuts in Muggle shops. She had never mentioned her Gringotts bank account to the Dursleys; she didn't think their horror of anything connected with magic would stretch to a large pile of gold. **

'I agree with you,' growled Remus and Sirius together.

**Mrs Weasley woke them all early the following Wednesday. After a quick half-a-dozen bacon sandwiches each, they pulled on their coats and Mrs Weasley took a flowerpot off the kitchen mantle-piece and peered inside. **

"**We're running low, Arthur," she sighed. "We'll have to buy some more today ... ah well, guest first! After you, Bella dear!" And she offered her the flowerpot. Bella stared at them all. **

"**W-what am I suppose to do?" she stammered. **

'Aw bless she had never travelled by floo before.' Tonks said,

'Oh she has, just a very long time ago,' said Remus lightly.

'Now let's see if she feels like throwing up or thinks it's like a rollercoaster.' Sirius said grinning rubbing his hands together. 'She used to cry when she was little remember Mad eye?' he said.

'Yes, I remember.' He said staring at her with both eyes.

'Then you used to accuse them of neglecting her and give her to you.' Said Remus 'James use to say "She's upset enough she doesn't need to see your face as well."'

'Never understood that.' said Sirius smiling at her.

"**She's never travelled by Floo powder," said Ron suddenly. "Sorry, Bella I forgot."**

"**Never?" said Mr Weasley. "But how did you get to Diagon Alley to buy your school things last year?"**

"**I went on the underground –"**

"**Really?" said Mr Weasley eagerly. "Were there **_**escapators**_**? How exactly –"**

Everyone laughed and Mr Weasley's ears went red.

"**Not now, Arthur," said Mrs Weasley. "Floo powder's a lot quicker, dear, but goodness me, if you've never used it before –"**

"**She'll be all right, Mum," said Fred. "Bella, watch us first." **

**He took a pinch of glittering powder out of the pot stepped up to the fire and threw the powder into the flames. With a roar, the fire turned emerald green and rose higher than Fred, who stepped right into it, shouted, "Diagon Alley!" and vanished. **

"**You must speak clearly, dear," Mrs Weasley told Bella, as George dipped his hand into the flowerpot. "And mind you get out at the right gate ..."**

'Ah, don't over load her with too much information." Remus said worriedly.

"**The right what?" said Bella nervously, as the fire roared and whipped George out of sight too. **

"**Well, there are lots of wizard fires to choose from, you know, but as long as you've spoken clearly –"**

"**She'll be fine, Molly, don't fuss," said Mr Weasley, helping himself to Floo powder too. **

"**But dear, if she got lost, how would we ever explain to her aunt and uncle?" **

Bella snorted, while everyone else's face grew darker.

'I don't think they would care.' She said 'I can tell you that now I suppose.' Then she sighed looking at people's faces.

"**They wouldn't mind," Bella reassured her. "Dudley would think it a brilliant joke if I got lost up a chimney. Don't worry about that." **

'I am so glad you're getting out of that house.' said Sirius his face hard.

'I agree,' said Remus 'she'll be with someone responsible ...'

'But, I thought you said I could live with, Sirius.' Bella said confused everyone started laughing at that while Sirius gave an indignant.

'Oi!' and started tickling her again.

'G-get off me!' she gasped trying to squirm out of his reach, but no good.

'The magic words?' he said happily continuing.

'S-sirius!' he didn't stop.

'F-fine you're the b-best g-godfather ever!' she chocked he stopped and Bella took several deeps then sent a scowl at Sirius who was grinning.

'You are evil,' she said 'even if you are one of the only white sheep in the Black family.' Sirius grinned wider.

'Good one' Remus chuckled.

"**Well ... all right ... you go after Arthur," said Mrs Weasley. "Now, when you get into the fire, say when you get into the fire, say where you're going –"**

"**And keep your elbow tucked in," Ron advised. **

"**And your eyes shut," said Mrs Weasley. "The soot –"**

"**Don't fidget," said Ron. "Or you might well fall out of the wrong fireplace –"**

"**But don't panic and get out early, wait until you see Fred and George."**

'Didn't you just tell her to keep her eyes closed?' said Sirius having a feeling this isn't going to end well.

'Sirius I'll make you a deal,' she Bella said nervously, 'I'll not complain when stuff is really dangerous if you don't pull me onto your lap every time I fall over or whatever.' He looked at her with suspicious eyes.

'I end up in Borgin and Burkes.' she said bluntly, Sirius inhaled sharply but nodded.

**Trying to bear all this in mind, Bella took a pinch of Floo powder and walked to the edge of the fire. She took a deep breath, scattered the powder into the flames and stepped forward; the fire felt like a warm breeze; she opened her mouth and immediately swallowed a lot of hot ash. **

'Not good,' muttered Neville who had done this many times. Other nodded in agreement

"**D-Dia-gon Alley," she coughed. **

**It felt as though she was being sucked down a giant plug hole. **

'That's a brilliant description.' Luna said dreamily.

**She seemed to be spinning very fast ... the roaring in her ears was deafening ... she tried to keep her eyes open but the whirl of green flames made her feel sick ... **

'You still hate it,' Sirius said laughing.

'Yep, which one thought it was a roller coaster?'

'Neither but your dad always broke his glasses.' Remus said.

**something hard knocked her elbow and she tucked it in tightly, still spinning ... now it felt as though cold hands were slapping her face ... squinting through her glasses he saw a blurred stream of fireplaces and snatched glimpses of the rooms beyond ... her bacon sandwiches were churning inside her ... She closed her eyes again wishing it would stop, and then – she fell, face forward, onto cold stone and felt her glasses shatter. **

'Not good especially if you're in that shop.' Said Tonks.

**Dizzy and bruised, covered in soot, she got gingerly to her feet, brushing the hair out of her eyes then holding her broken glasses up to her eyes. She was quite alone, but **_**where **_**she was, she was no idea. All she could tell was that she was standing on a stone fireplace of what looked like a large, dimly lit wizard's shop – but nothing in here was ever likely to be on a Hogwarts school list. **

'Brilliant,' muttered McGonagall sarcastically. 'Just brilliant, only you could do that.' she said in a tired voice.

**A glass case nearby held a withered hand on a cushion,**

'Hand of Glory,' said Malfoy then he realised. 'Potter you where there when I was how...?'

'Vanishing cabinet,' she said.

**a blood-stained pack of cards and a staring glass eye. Evil-looking masked leered down from the walls, an assortment of human bones lay upon the counter and rusty, spiked instruments hung from the ceiling.**

'They have been there for years,' muttered Sirius, Bella looked at him puzzled. 'My dear old mum used to love Borgin and Burkes.' He said grimly 'That set have cards have been there since I was your age. The spike things when I was your book age.'

**Even worse, the dark, narrow street Bella could see through the dusty window shop was defiantly not Diagon Alley. **

**The sooner she got out of here, the better.**

'I agree,' said Mad eye.

**Nose still stinging where it had hit the earth, Bella made her way swiftly and silently towards the door, but before she'd got halfway towards it, two people appeared on the other side of the glass: Draco Malfoy.**

Everyone scowled at Malfoy who shrugged.

**Bella looked quickly around and spotted a large black cabinet to her left; she shot inside it and pulled the doors to, leaving a small crack to peer through. Seconds later, a bell clanged, and Malfoy stepped into the shop. The man who followed could only be his father. He had the same pale, pointed face and identical cold grey eyes.**

'My eyes aren't cold.' Malfoy snapped.

'Not as cold as your fathers,' Bella admitted.

**Mr Malfoy crossed the shop, looking lazily at the items on display, and rang the bell on the counter before turning to his son and saying, "Touch nothing, Draco."**

**Malfoy, who had reached the glass eye, said, "I thought you said you were going to but me a present." **

"**I said I would buy you a racing broom," said his father, drumming his fingers on the counter. "What's the good of that if I'm not in the house team?" said Malfoy, looking sulky and bad-tempered. "Bella Potter got a Nimbus Two Thousand last year. Special permission from Dumbledore so she could play for Gryffindor. She's not even that good, it's just because she's **_**famous ... **_**famous for having a stupid **_**scar**_** on her head ..." Malfoy bent down to examine the skulls. "... everyone thinks she's so **_**smart**_**, wonderful **_**Potter **_**with her **_**scar**_** and her **_**broomstick –**_**"**

"**You have told me this at least a dozen times already," said Mr Malfoy,**

'You've been talking about Bella a lot,' said George waggling his eyebrows, he knew even if Malfoy did like her that way, he would have less chance than he did with her.

'Don't be disgusting,' said Bella looking as though she was going to be sick, this made George grin.

'Looks like you're out of luck Malfoy,' said Fred, Malfoy looked as repulsed as Bella did.

'I dunno,' said George

'There is always a fine line between love and hate.' finished Fred.

'That is the most disgusting thing I have ever heard.' She said actually going green, Ron, Hermione and Draco were not far behind her.

**with a quelling look at his son, "and I would remind you that it's not – prudent – to appear less fond of Bella Potter, not when most of our kind regard her as the heroine who made the Dark Lord disappear – ah, Mr Borgin." **

**A stooping man had appeared behind the counter, smoothing his greasy hair back from his face. **

"**Mr Malfoy, what a pleasure to see you again," said Mr Borgin in a voice as oily as his hair. **

Sirius laughed at her description.

"**Delighted – and young Master Malfoy, too – charmed. How mat I be of assistance? I must show you, just in today, and very reasonably priced –"**

"**I'm not buying today, Mr Borgin, but selling," said Mr Malfoy. **

"**Selling?" The smile faded slightly on, Mr Borgin's face. **

"**You have heard, of course, that the Ministry is conducting more raids," said Mr Malfoy, taking a roll of parchment from his inside pocket and unravelling it for Mr Borgin to read. "I have a few – ah – items at home that might embarrass me, if the Ministry were to call ..." **

Mr Weasley smirked remembering the look on Lucius's face when he found his dark stuff that had been hidden.

**Mr Borgin fixed a pince-nez to his nose and looked down the list. 'The Ministry wouldn't presume to trouble you, sir, surely?' Mr Malfoy's lip curled. **

'**I have not been visited yet. The name Malfoy still commands a certain respect, yet the Ministry grows evermore meddlesome. There are rumours about a new Muggle Protection Act – no doubt that flea-bitten, Muggle-loving fool Arthur Weasley is behind it –"**

The Weasley children growled and sent glares to the young Malfoy.

**Bella felt a hot surge of anger. **

Mr Wesley smiled at her, she smiled back.

'Thank you Bella, but I hope you didn't say anything.'

'I didn't but I wanted too.' She said bitterly.

"– **and as you can see, certain of these poisons might make it **_**appear –"**_

"**I understand, sir, of course," said Mr Borgin. "Let me see ..." **

"**Can I have **_**that**_**?" interrupted Draco, pointing at the withered hand on its cushion. **

"**Ah, the hand of Glory!" said Mr Borgin, abandoning Mr Malfoy's list and scurrying over to Draco. **

'Your thoughts normally say Malfoy why is reading as Draco?' asked Ginny, Bella shrugged.

'Probably because Mr Malfoy is there it would get confusing.'

"**Insert a candle and it gives light only to the holder! Best friend of thieves and plunderers! Your son has fine taste, sir."**

'He isn't going to like that,' said Mr Weasley gleefully.

"**I hope my son will amount to more than a thief or a plunderer, Borgin," said Mr Malfoy coldly and Mr Borgin said quickly, **

"**No offense, sir, no offense intended –"**

"**Though if his marks don't pick up," said Mr Malfoy, more coldly still, "that may indeed be all he fit for."**

"**It's not my fault," retorted Draco. "The teachers all have favourites, that Hermione Granger –"**

"**I would have thought you'd be ashamed that a girl of no wizarding family beat you in every exam," snapped Mr Malfoy. **

"**Ha!" said Bella under her breath, pleased to see Draco looking both abashed and angry. **

Malfoy snarled at her but she just looked at him without a trace of any fear.

'Weak form Malfoy. Weak form.' she said shaking her head.

"**It's the same all over," said Mr Borgin, in his oily voice. "Wizard blood is counting less everywhere –"**

"**Not with me," said Mr Malfoy, his nostrils flaring. **

"**No, sir, nor with me, sir," said Borgin, with a deep bow. **

"**In that case, perhaps we can return to my list," said Mr Malfoy shortly. "I am in something of a hurry, Borgin, I have important business elsewhere today." **

Bella frowned at the book knowing at least one of the businesses he had.

**They started to haggle. Bella watched nervously as Draco drew nearer and nearer to her hiding place, examining the objects for sale. He paused to examine a long chain coil of hangman's rope and to read, smirking, the card propped on a magnificent necklace of opals: **_**Caution: Do Not Touch. Cursed – Has Claimed the Lives of Nineteen Muggle Owners to Date. **_

The group glared at the young Malfoy he hid behind his godfather who was stopping himself from glaring at the boy.

**Draco turned away and saw the cabinet right in front of him. He walked forward ... he stretched out his hand for the handle... **

"**Done," said Mr Malfoy at the counter. "Come Draco!" Bella wiped her forehead on her sleeve as Draco turned away. "Good day to you, Mr Borgin, I'll expect you at the manor tomorrow to pick up the goods." The moment the door closed, Mr Borgin dropped his oily manner. **

"**Good day yourself, **_**Mister**_** Malfoy, and if the stories are true, you haven't sold me half of what's in your **_**manor**_** ..."**

'How dare he!' said Draco furiously, he was going to warn his father of that.

**Muttering darkly, Mr Borgin disappeared into a back room. Bella waited for a minute in case he came back, then quietly as she could, slipped out of the cabinet, past the glass cases and out of the shop door. **

'I don't know whether I should be relieved or not,' muttered Mrs Weasley

'I know what you mean,' said Sirius 'Not the nicest people in that Alleyway' looking at his Goddaughter.

'At least this one was an accident,' she said 'It means I can't get punished right?' said Bella, causing Sirius to laugh he whispered so the twins couldn't hear 'A true Marauder's daughter,' he said smiling, Bella beamed at the praise.

**Clutching her broken glasses to her face she stared around. She had emerged into a dingy alleyway that seemed to be made up of shops devoted to the Dark Arts. The one she'd just left, Borgin and Burkes, looked like the largest, but opposite was a nasty window display of shrunken heads, and two doors down, a large cage was alive with gigantic black spiders. **

Ron shuddered, Bella squeezed his hand.

**Two shabby-looking wizards were watching her from the shadow of a doorway, muttering to** **each other. **

'Get out of there now,' hissed Remus worriedly.

**Feeling jumpy, Bella set off, trying to hold her glasses on straight and hoping against hope she'd be able to find her way out of there. **

**An old wooden street sign hanging over a shop selling poisonous candles told her she was in Knockturn Alley. This didn't help, as Bella had never heard of the place. She supposed she hadn't spoken clear enough through her mouthful of ashes back at the Weasleys' fire. Trying to stay calm, she wondered what to do. **

"**Not lost are you, my dear?" said a voice in her ear, making her jump. An aged women stood in front of her, holding a tray of what looked horribly like whole human fingers. **

'Knowing down there they properly were.' Sirius muttered darkly.

**She leered at her, showing mossy teeth. Bella backed away. **

"**I'm fine, thanks," she said. "I'm just –"**

"**BELLA! What d'yeh think yer doin' down there?" **

Then adults that didn't know Hagrid helped her sighed in relief.

**Bella's heart leaped. So did the witch; a load of fingernails cascaded down over her feet and she cursed the massive form of Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper, came striding towards them, beetle-black eyes flashing over his great bristling beard. **

"**Hagrid!" Bella croaked in relief. "I was lost ... Floo powder ..." **

**Hagrid seized Bella by the scruff of the neck and pulled her away from the witch, knocking the tray right out of her hands. Her shrieks followed them all the way along the twisted alleyway out into the bright sunlight. Bella saw the familiar, snow-white marble building in the distance: Gringotts bank. Hagrid had steered her right into Diagon Alley. **

"**Yer a mess!" said Hagrid gruffly, brushing soot off Bella so forcefully he nearly knocked her into a barrel of dragon dung outside an apothecary's. "Skulkin' around Knockturn Alley, I dunno – dodgy place, Bella – don' want no one ter see yeh down there –"**

'Why was he there,' growled Mad eye suspiciously.

'Flesh eating slug repellent,' said Bella.

"**I realised **_**that**_**," said Bella, ducking as Hagrid made to brush her off again. "I told you, I was lost – what were you doing down there, anyway?"**

"_**I**_** was looking for Flesh-Eatin' Slug Repellent," growled Hagrid. "They're ruinin' the school cabbages. Yer not on yer own?"**

"**I'm staying at the Weasleys but we got separated," Bella explained. "I've got to go and find them ..."**

**They set off together down the street . **

"**How come yeh never wrote back ter me?" said Hagrid, as Bella explained jogged alongside him (she had to take three steps to every stride of Hagrid's enormous boots). Bella explained all about Dobby and the Dursleys. **

'All?' said Mr Weasley

'Hagrid will not tell anyone anything if you ask him not to, well unless he's drunk.' Said Bella 'Though I didn't tell him that they starved me, just locked in my room.'

"**Ruddy Muggles," growled Hagrid. "If I'd've known –"**

"**Bella! Bella! Over here!" Bella looked and saw Hermione Granger standing at the top of the white flight steps of Gringotts. She ran down to meet them, her bushy brown hair flying behind her. **

"**What happened to your glasses? Hello, Hagrid ... Oh, it's **_**wonderful **_**to see you two again ... Are you coming into Gringotts, Bella?"**

"**As soon as I've found the Weasleys," said Bella. **

"**Yeh won't have ter wait," grinned Hagrid. Bella and Hermione looked around; sprinting up the crowded street were Ron, Fred, George, Percy, and Mr Weasley. **

'Mum was having kittens,' said Fred

'Ron was as well actually.' George said smirking.

"**Bella," Mr Weasley panted. "We **_**hoped **_**you'd only gone one grate to far ..." He mopped his glistening bald patch. "Molly's frantic – she's coming now."**

"**Where did you come out?" Ron asked. **

"**Knockturn Alley," said Hagrid grimly. **

"_**Brilliant**_**!" said Fred and George together. **

"**We've never been allowed in," said Ron enviously. **

'I should think not,' said Remus, Sirius, McGonagall, Tonks and Mad eye.

"**I should ruddy well hope not," growled Hagrid. **

**Mrs Weasley now came galloping into view, her handbag swinging wildly in one hand, Ginny just clinging onto the other. **

"**Oh, Bella – oh, my dear – you could have been anywhere –"**

**Gasping for breath she pulled a large cloths brush out of her bag and began to sweeping off the soot Hagrid hadn't managed to beat away. Mr Weasley took Bella's glasses, gave them a tap of his wand and returned them as good as new. **

'I'm really glad I learnt that spell,' said Bella smiling, even though see didn't wear them anymore it was still handy.

"**Well, gotta be off," said Hagrid, who was having his hand wrung by Mrs Weasley ("Knockturn Alley! If you hadn't found her Hagrid!"). "See yer at Hogwarts!" **

**And he strode away, head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the packed street. **

"**Guess who I saw in Borgin and Burkes?" Bella asked Ron and Hermione as they climbed the Gringotts steps. "Malfoy and his father." **

"**Did Lucius Malfoy buy anything?" said Mr Weasley sharply behind them. **

"**No he was selling."**

"**So he's worried," said Mr Weasley with grim satisfaction. "Oh, I'd love to get Lucius Malfoy for something ..."**

Malfoy huffed angrily.

"**You be careful Arthur," said Mrs Weasley sharply, as they were ushered into the bank by a bowing goblin at the door. "That family's trouble, don't go biting off more than you can chew" **

"**So you don't think am a match for Lucius Malfoy?" said Mr Weasley indignantly,**

'If he didn't cheat and use dark arts then more than a match Mr Weasley.' Bella said strongly then sighed.

'Only if your to fair to do either.'

'I understand Bella.' He said smiling, he was upset that Bella could tell him these things someone that age should be able just to say, "course you could" and not say another word.

**but he was distracted almost at once by the sight of Hermione's parents, who were standing nervously at the counter ran all along the great marble hall, waiting for Hermione to introduce them. **

"**But you're **_**Muggles**_**!" said Mr Weasley delightedly. **

"**We must have a drink! What's that you got there? Oh, you're changing your Muggle money. Molly look!" He pointed excitedly at the ten pound note in Mr Granger's hand. **

Everyone laughed at him again but he joined in chuckling.

"**Met you back here," said Ron to Hermione, as the Weasleys and Bella were led off to their underground vaults by another Gringotts goblin. **

**The vaults were reached by means of small, goblin-driven carts that sped along miniature train-tracks through the bank's underground tunnels. Bella enjoyed the breakneck journey down to the Weasley's vault, but felt dreadful, far worse than she had in Knockturn Alley, when it was opened.**

**There was a very small pile of silver sickles inside, and just one gold Galleon. **

The Weasley's blushed bright red.

'You've done so much for me I would be more than happy too –' but her sentence was cut short by Mrs Weasley's.

'No Bella, dear that's yours,'

'But –'

'No Bella, we wouldn't feel right taking that,'

'Please,' said Bella quietly, who though she wanted to win this argument she had been secretly when ever at the Burrow from Second year on, she had been leaving Knuts and Sickles around (The only reason she didn't put Galleons was because it would be too suspicious) the place for them to keep.

'No Molly's right Bella. It wouldn't feel right, it's not up to you to fix what happened –'

'Oh God yeah that bloody prat Grus Black persuaded a goblin to transfer ...' Sirius exclaimed suddenly.

'Once I'm cleared you can get it _all_ back,'

'Sirius –'

'No Arthur I won't hear it.' He said firmly. 'The Prewett's money he took too,' he added.

'Thank you Sirius,'

'The least I can do A: the fact it's yours anyway B: you've been so good to Bella when I couldn't be there for her.'

**Mrs Weasley felt right into the corners before sweeping the whole lot into her bag. Bella felt worse when they reached her vault. She tried to block the content from view as she hastily shoved handfuls of coins into a leather bag. **

Mrs Weasley shook her head.

'Bella!' sighed the twins, shaking their heads fondly, (One more fondly them the other ;P)

Bella went a delicate pink; at least the Weasleys were getting the gold they disserve.

**Back outside on the marble steps, they all separated. Percy muttered vaguely about needing a new quill. Fred and George had spotted their friend, Lee Jordan. Mrs Weasley and Ginny went to the second-hand robe shop. Mr Weasley was insisting on taking the Grangers off to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink. **

Molly shook her head fondly at her husband who kissed her cheek wrapping an arm around her.

'Dad!' cried Ron

'Not in public!' cried Ginny.

'That's gross!' moaned the twins. Mrs Weasley smiled at her children and leaned her head into Mr Weasley's shoulder.

'Ewwwww!'

'Oh come of it, it's not that bad,' laughed Mrs Weasley 'I could snog him.' A mischievous glint in her eye, all their children looked like they were going to be sick. Bella wasn't far behind them. Bella was thinking about how she'd love to see her parents do that with each other, tease her when she complained id she had grown up with it she would imagine she would have. Would she have been a big sister by now?

'Sirius,' she whispered.

'Hmm?'

'Did they want more children?' Sirius didn't need to ask who.

'They wanted a little boy.' He whispered back to her, she nodded her head at this knowledge.

"**We'll all meet a Flourish and Blotts in an hour to buy your school books," said Mrs Weasley, setting off with Ginny. "And not one step down Knockturn Alley!" she shouted at the twins' retreating backs. **

'I don't think we want to after that description.' They said together.

**Bella, Ron and Hermione strolled off along winding, cobbled street. The bag of gold, silver and bronze jangling cheerfully in Bella's pocket was clamouring to be spent, so she bought three large strawberry and peanut-butter ice-creams which they slurped happily **

'That was sweet, dear,' said Mrs Weasley Bella smiled embarrassed at her.

**as they wandered up the alley, examining the fascinating shop windows. Ron gazed longingly at a full set of Chudley Cannon robes in the window of 'Quality Quidditch Supplies' until Hermione dragged them off to buy ink and parchment next door. In Gambol and Japes Wizarding joke shop, they met Fred, George and Lee Jordan, who were stocking up on 'Dr Filibuster's Fabulous Wet-Start, No-Heat Fireworks', and old clocks covered in potion stains they found Percy, deeply immersed in a small and deeply boring book called **_**Prefects Who Gained Power. **_

"_**A study of Hogwarts Prefects and their later careers**_**," Ron read aloud of the back cover. "That sounds **_**fascinating **_**..."**

"**Go away," Percy snapped. **

"**Course, he's very ambitious, Percy, he's got it all planned out ... he wants to be Minister of Magic ..." Ron told Bella and Hermione in an undertone, as they left Percy to it.**

'And do anything to get it,' Ron muttered darkly. 

**An hour later, they headed for Flourish and Blotts. They were by no means the only ones making their way to the bookshop. As they approached it, they saw to their surprise a large crowd jostling outside the doors, trying to get in. The reason for this was proclaimed by a large banner stretched across the upper windows. **

**GILDEROY LOCKHART **

_**will be signing copies of his autobiography **_

_**MAGICAL ME **_

_**today 12.30 – 4.30 pm **_

Bella groaned remembering what had happened.

'I remember reading about this.' Remus said smiling. 'I knew from then you hated your fame. It was so adorable.'

'Shut up' she grumbled.

'I manage to get a hold of that paper too,' Sirius said beaming, everyone looked at him. 'The guard thought I would hate to hear things about Bella so every time she was in the paper they used to read it to me, with the photo front page I snatched it from them it's upstairs somewhere.'

"**We can actually meet him!" Hermione squealed. "I mean, he's written almost the whole booklist!"**

**The crowd seemed to be made up mostly of witches around Mrs Weasley's age.**

Mrs Weasley blushed and Mr Weasley put his arm around his wife somewhat possessively.

**A harassed-looking wizard stood at the door, saying "Calmly, please ladies ... don't push, there ... mind the books, now ..."**

**Bella, Ron and Hermione squeezed inside. A long queue wounded right to the back of the shop, where Gilderoy Lockhart was signing his books. They each grabbed a copy of **_**break with a banshee**_**, and sneaked up the line to where the rest of the Weasleys were standing with Mr and Mrs Granger. **

"**Oh, there you are, good," said Mrs Weasley. She sounded breathless and kept patting her hair. **

"**We'll be able see him in a minute ..." **

**Gilderoy Lockhart came slowly into view, seated at a table surrounded by large pictures of his own face, all winking and flashing dazzling white teeth to the crowd. The real Lockhart was wearing robes of forget-me-not blue which exactly matched his eyes; his pointed wizard's hat was at a jaunty angle on his wavy hair. **

The kids who had him as a teacher scowled.

**A short irritable-looking man was dancing around taking photographs with a large black camera that emitted puffs of purple smoke with every blinding flash. **

"**Out of the way, there," he snarled at Ron, moving back to get a better shot. "This is for the **_**Daily Prophet." **_

"**Big deal," said Ron, rubbing his foot where the photographer had stepped on it. **

**Gilderoy Lockhart heard him. **

'Ron it was your fault!' Bella said furiously, Ron just chuckled at her.

**He looked up. He saw Ron – and then he saw Bella. **

Everyone laughed, while Bella grumbled besides him about how it was obvious she hated fame and that it was Ron's fault.

**He stared. Then he leapt to his feet and positively shouted, "It **_**can't**_** be Bella Potter?"**

**The crowd parted, whispering excitedly. Lockhart dived forward, seized Bella's arm and pulled her to the front. The crowd burst into applause. **

The twins started laughing remembering Bella's face when he was dragged up to shake Lockhart's hand.

**Bella's face burned as Lockhart shook her hand for the photographer, who was clicking away madly, wafting thick smoke over the Weasleys. **

'Bella, honestly,' Mr Weasley muttered smiling at her.

"**Nice big smile, Bella," said Lockhart, through his own gleaming teeth. "Together, you and I are worth the front page."**

'She's worth that by herself.' said Charlie angrily.

'Thank you,' she said loudly and embarrassedly, her tone said SHUT THE HELL UP!.

**When he finally let go of Bella's hand, she could hardly feel her fingers. She tried to sidle back over to the Weasleys, **

'We saw that,' said Hermione chuckling 'The look of desperate escape was all over your face the whole time'

'It was you could see it in the photo's as well.' Remus said laughing.

'Thanks,' she muttered dryly glaring at the two.

**but Lockhart threw an arm around her waist and clamped her tightly to his side. **

"**Ladies and Gentlemen," he said loudly, waving for quiet. "What an extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for some time! When young Bella here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, she only wanted to come to buy my autobiography – which I shall be happy to present her free of charge –" the crowd applauded again,**

'Which I gave to Mrs Weasley,' Bella muttered.

"**- she had **_**no idea**_**," Lockhart continued, giving Bella a little shake that made her glasses to end of her nose, 'that she would be shortly getting the real **_**magical me**_**. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have the great pleasure in announcing that, this September, I will be taking up the post Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry."**

'Boo!' cried Ron, Bella, Ginny, Fred, George, Luna and Neville.

**The crowd cheered and clapped and Bella found herself being presented with the entire works of Gilderoy Lockhart. Staggering slightly under the weight, she managed to make her way out of the limelight**

'Managed?' scoffed Fred

'I had never seen you move so fast even with all those books in your arms.' George said.

**to the edge of the room, where Ginny was standing next to her new cauldron. **

"**You have these," she mumbled to her, tipping the books into her cauldron. "I'll buy my own –"**

"**Bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter?" said a voice Bella had no trouble recognising. She straightened up and found herself face to face with Draco, who was wearing his usual sneer. **

"_**Famous **_**Bella Potter," said Malfoy. "Can't even go into a **_**bookshop **_**without making the front page." **

'Can't you tell how much she hates it?' said Luna dreamily at the only other blonde in the room.

'Not then,' he mumbled not looking at the weird fourth year,

"**Leave her alone, she didn't want all that!" said Ginny. **

**It was the first time Ginny had spoke in front of Bella. She was glaring at Malfoy. **

'Ah the true Ginny,' said Fred

'Took look enough,' said George, Ginny glared at her brothers.

"**Potter, you've got yourself a **_**fan**_**!" drawled Malfoy. Ginny went scarlet as Ron and Hermione fight their way across the room, both clutching stacks of Lockhart's books. **

"**Oh, it's you," said Ron, looking at Malfoy as if he were something unpleasant on the sole of his shoe. "Bet you're surprised to see Bella here, eh?"**

'I didn't send that elf Weasley! I had better things to do with my time.'

'What whine about how good Bella is at flying and Hermione beats you in every test?' said Ron.

'Watch it weasel!' Draco snarled.

'Enough!' said Dumbledore calmly.

"**Not as surprised as I am to see you in a shop, Weasley," retorted Malfoy. "I suppose your parent will have to go hungry for a month to pay for that lot." **

**Ron went as red as Ginny. He dropped his books into his cauldron, too, and started towards Malfoy, but Bella and Hermione grabbed the back of his jacket. **

"**Now now Draco, Play nicely" **

**It was Mr Malfoy. He stood with his hand on Draco's shoulder, sneering in just the same way. **

"**Miss Potter," he breathed at Bella, "forgive me." Before Bella could protest he pulled her forward pushing up her fringe to show her scar to the fullest possible. **

Sirius growled at that he didn't like the idea of Lucius being in the same room let alone pulling her forward to reveal her scar.

"**Your scar is legend," he said "as of course the wizard who gave it to you." Bella yanked herself away from him. **

'Good girl,' said Sirius.

"**Voldemort killed my parents," she said coldly, "he was nothing more than a murderer." **

'You tell him Potter,' growled Moody in approval.

"**Very brave saying the name," sneered Mr Malfoy, "Or very foolish."**

'I like to think they go hand in hand,' Bella said grinning.

"**Ron! Ginny! Bella!" said Mr Weasley struggling over with Fred and George. **

"**What are you doing? It's mad in here, let's go outside."**

"**Well, well, well Arthur Weasley." said Mr Malfoy. **

"**Lucius," said Mr Weasley coldly. **

"**Busy time at the Ministry, I hear," said Mr Malfoy. "All those raids ... I hope they pay you enough overtime?"**

**He reached out into Ginny's cauldron and extracted, from amidst the glossy Lockhart books, a very old, very battered copy of **_**A Beginners Guide to Transfiguration**_**. **

"**Obviously not," he said. "Dear me, what's the use of being a disgraces to the name of Wizards if they don't even pay you for it?"**

**Mr Weasley flushed darker than either Ron or Ginny.**

'You are extremely observant aren't you,' said Mr Weasley smiling, Bella smiled back sheepishly.

'Sorry, but in my defence these are meant to be my private thoughts. You can't help what you think sometimes.' She said blushing a little. Sirius started laughing, thinking about the crush she would have on someone when she finally moved on from Diggory.

'What?' asked Bella bewildered.

'Nothing,' he said chuckling.

"**We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard Malfoy," he said. **

'GO DAD/ARTHUR!' yelled his children and Sirius.

"**Clearly," said Mr Malfoy, his pale eyes straying to Mr and Mrs Granger, who were watching apprehensively. "The company you keep, Weasley ... and I thought your family could sink no lower – "**

**There was a thud of metal as Ginny's cauldron went flying; Mr Weasley had thrown himself at Mr Malfoy, knocking him backwards into a bookshelf. Dozens of heavy spellbooks came thundering down on all their heads; **

'Come on Arthur!' yelled Sirius

'Get him, Mr Weasley!' yelled Bella

'Come on dad!' yelled the twins

**there was a yell of "Get him, Dad!" from Fred; Mrs Weasley was shrieking, "No, Arthur, no!"; the crowd stamped backwards, knocking more shelves over; "Gentlemen, please – please!" cried the assistant and then , louder than all, "Break it up, there, gents, break it up –"**

**Hagrid was wading towards them through the sea of books. In an instant he had pulled Mr Weasley and Mr Malfoy apart. Mr Weasley had a cut lip and Mr Malfoy had been hit in the eye by an **_**Encyclopedia of Toadstools.**_

Bella grinned at that serves the idiot right.

**He was still holding Ginny's old Transfiguration book. He thrust it at her, his eyes glittering malice. **

Bella snarled she should have noticed.

'It wasn't your fault Bella.' Ginny said quietly knowing what her friend was thinking.

"**Here, girl – take your book – it's the best your father can give you –"**

**Pulling himself out of Hagrid's grip he beckoned Draco and swept from the shop. **

'**Yeh should've ignored him, Arthur," said Hagrid, almost lifting Mr Weasley off his feet as he straightened his robes. "Rotten ter the core, the whole family, everyone knows that. No Malfoy's worth listen' ter. Bad blood, that's what it is. Come on now – let's get out of here."**

'Don't judge every book by its cover,' said Dumbledore giving the young Mr Malfoy one of his famous X-Ray stares, Draco squirmed in his seat did the headmaster know he was doubting joining Voldemort that he was unsure whether he was on the right side, until then this thought had been very small in the back of his head, but it was slightly bigger now.

**The assistant looked as though he wanted to stop them from leaving, but he barley came up to Hagrid waist and seemed to think better of it. **

**They hurried up the street, the Grangers shaking with fright and Mrs Weasley beside her with fury. **

'Busted,' said Sirius.

'Dunno what you on about Sirius,' said Fred

'You see _that_ look more than dad in the couple months, than dad ever has,' said George.

"**A **_**fine**_** example to set to your children ... **_**brawling **_**in public ... **_**what **_**Gilderoy Lockhart must've thought ..."**

"**He was pleased,' said Fred. 'Didn't you hear him as we were leaving? He was asking the bloke from the **_**Daily Prophet **_**if he'd be able to work the fight into his report – said it was all publicity."**

**But it was subdued group who headed back to the fireside in the Leaky Cauldron, where Bella, the Weasleys and all their shopping would be travelling back to The Burrow using Floo powder. They said goodbye to the Grangers, who were leaving the pub for the Muggle street on the other side. Mr Weasley started to ask about how bus stops worked, but stopped quickly at the look on Mrs Weasley's face. **

**Bella took off her glasses and put them safely in her pocket before helping herself to Floo powder. It defiantly wasn't her favourite way to travel.**

'That's the end of the chapter' she said placing the book on her lap.

'Here I haven't read in a while.' Said Remus holding out his hand, he took the book and read the chapter.

'Actually... Hermione why don't you read. I'll read the next one.' Hermione went to get the book.

He's forgotten! Bella thought happily he's forgotten!

'Hang on I want to talk to Bella first.' Sirius said putting his arm around her so she couldn't escape.

Crap, she thought

'Come on**,' **he said tugging her from the room.


	5. The Whomping Willow

Bella found herself in Sirius's dorm.

'Bells...'

'Sirius look,' she said, in a business like tone, 'I hate these talks, you hate them. You and I both know if you keep this up with the Dursleys, we will be here every beginning of the books.'

'That's not the point, sweetheart.' He said looking her in the eyes.

'I've already told you what they have done you've already responded, let's just read those stupid books so I can cringe and squirm when you dump me on your lap again.' Sirius sighed, but gave up.

'Just know you're important to us all, yeah.' She nodded.

'No more talks,' she said.

'About the Durlseys,' he said softly stroking her hair, she sighed but nodded, they walked back into the reading room.

Once they finished eating, Hermione already had the book in her hand. Sirius and Remus went to sit down when.

'Why doesn't Bella sit between us for a while?' Remus said. Sirius shrugged and sat next to Ron. Bella sat slowly beside Remus knowing why he wanted her to sit there.

"**The Whomping Willow" **Hermione read.

'Ah,' said Sirius, catching Remus' eye, Bella looked between the two, wondering how badly they were going to react.

**The end of the summer came too quickly for Bella's liking. She was looking forward to going back to Hogwarts, but her month at The Burrow had been the happiest of her life. It was difficult not to feel jealous of Ron **

Bella flushed a deep red.

'Really,' said Ron astonished, his ears going pink.

'Well, yeah' said Bella, hiding in her hair. 'You have everything I want, Ron.'

'Bella you're a part of the family,' said Mr Weasley smiling.

'Yeah, whether you like it or not,' said Fred sternly. 'As the saying goes you can't choose your family.'

Bella was trying and failing not to beam at them all.

Percy sniffed. She wasn't a part of his family.

**when she thought of the Dursleys and the sort of welcome she could expect next time she turned up at Privet Drive. **

Everyone frowned at the Dursleys name.

**On their last evening, Mrs Weasley conjured up a sumptuous dinner which included some of Bella's favourite things, ending with a mouthwatering treacle pudding.**

Bella smiled. Her mouth was watering just thinking about it.

**Fred and George rounded off the evening with a display of Flilbuster fireworks; they filled the kitchen with red and blue stars that bounced from the ceiling to wall for at least half an hour. Then it was time for a last mug of hot chocolate and bed. **

'I like that routine,' said Ron smiling.

'Me too,' said Bella.

**It took a long while to get started next morning. They were up at cock-crow, but somehow they still seemed to have a great deal to do. Mrs Weasley dashed about in a bad mood looking for spare socks and quills, people kept colliding on the stairs,**

'No, everyone kept colliding with you, as you fell _up_ the stairs!' Said Fred. 'How can you fall _up_ the stairs?'

'How is that even possible?' George asked.

'It's easier to fall up then down,' she said going pink. 'My foot slips of the step,'

**half-dressed with bits of toast in their hands, and Mr Weasley nearly broke his neck, tripping over a stray chicken as the crossed the yard carrying Ginny's trunk to the car. **

'Oh crap!'

'Isabella/Potter!' reprimanded Mrs Weasley, Remus, McGonagall and Snape.

'Mr Weasley, I am really sorry,' said Bella smiling guiltily.

'What?' he asked confused

'Technically, I didn't tell her, you did.' said Bella still looking guilty. Mr Weasley was trying to figure out what she meant.

**Bella couldn't see how eight people, six large trunks, two owls and a rat were going to fit into one small Ford Anglia. She had reckoned, of course, without the special features which Mr Weasley had added. **

'Ah, Bella, it's fine, it's not your fault,' said Mr Weasley smiling at her. Mrs Weasleys eyes narrowed at her husband.

"**Not a word to Molly," he whispered to Bella as he opened the boot and showed her how it had been magically expanded so that the trunk fitted easily. **

'Arthur?' said Mrs Weasley dangerously.

'I think the law should be changed anyway, I mean I reckon you could should have like a system... you know if a witch dies like that teapot thing. Any witch or wizards property should be check before selling on...' Bella trailed off

'Good idea, Potter' growled Moody.

'Hmm' said Mr Weasley he grinned 'Fantastic idea Bella,' he said 'I'll offer it up once time isn't frozen anymore.

**When at last they were all in the car, Mrs Weasley glanced into the back seat, where Bella, Ron, Fred, George and Percy were all sitting comfortably side by side, and said, "Muggles **_**do**_** know more than we give them credit for, don't they?" She said as she and Ginny got into the front seat, which had been stretched so that it resembled a park bench. "I mean you'd never know it was this roomy from the outside, would you?"**

Mrs Weasley glared at her husband angrily, while he looked anywhere but her.

**Mr Weasley started up the engine and they trundled out of the yard, Bella turned for one last look of the house. She barely had time to wonder when she'd see it again**

'Course you were,' said Ron rolling his eyes.

Bella grinned. She really did love the Burrow.

**when they were back: George had forgotten his box of Filibusters fireworks. Five minutes after that, they skidded to a halt in the yard because Fred had forgotten his broomstick. They had almost reached the motorway when Ginny shrieked that she'd left her diary. **

Bella, Hermione, Ron, Mr and Mrs Weasley, Dumbledore and McGonagall all frowned at this. Ginny gave a little whimper.

**By the time she had clamoured back into the car, they were running very late, and tempers were running high. **

Mum, thought the twins, Percy, Bill, Charlie Ron and Ginny.

**Mr Weasley glanced at his wife. **

"**Molly, dear –"**

"_**No**_**, Arthur."**

"**No one would see. This little button here is an Invisibility Boost I installed – that'd get us up in the air – then we fly above the clouds. We'd be there in ten minutes and no one would be the wiser ..." **

'You want to fly the car,' laughed Sirius, many of the group wondered if he would be laughing for long.

"**I said no, Arthur, not in brought daylight."**

**They reached King's Cross at quarter to eleven. Mr Weasley dashed across the road to get the trolleys for their trunks and they all hurried into the station. **

'Fifteen minutes,' said Tonks, 'Wow that's late.'

'Not really helping,' said Remus smiling at the young witch. She really was beautiful, funny too... No! Too old! Too poor! Too dangerous!

**Bella caught the Hogwarts Express the previous year. The tricky bit was getting onto platform nine and three quarters, which wasn't visible to the Muggle eye. What you had to do was walk through the solid barrier dividing the platforms nine and ten. It didn't hurt,**

'Unless it gets blocked,' muttered Ron.

**but it had to be done carefully so that no Muggles noticed you vanishing. **

"**Percy first," said Mrs Weasley, looking nervously at the clock overhead, which showed they had only five minutes to disappear casually through the barrier. **

**Percy strode forward and vanished. Mr Weasley went next, Fred and George followed. **

"**I'll go with Ginny and you two come right after us," Mrs Weasley told Bella and Ron, grabbing Ginny's hand and set off. In the blink of an eye they were gone. **

'In a way, I wish we'd gone first,' Bella sighed.

'I don't,' Ron gulped. 'Imagine Aragog without that car.' Ron was now so pale, he was white.

'Thank god for that car!' Bella said in a relieved voice, going a little pale herself.

"**Let's go together, we've only got a minute," Ron said to Bella. **

**Bella made sure that Hedwig's cage was safely wedged on top of her trunk and wheeled her trolley about to face the barrier. She felt perfectly confident; this wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as using Floo powder. Both of them bent low over there handles of their trolleys and walked purposefully towards the barrier, gathering speed. A few feet away from it, **

'Making a big deal on purpose, huh?' said Neville.

'Probably,' Bella said, shrugging.

**they broke into a run and –**

**CRASH **

'Crash?' said Tonks confused. Why would it crash, she thought.

'Crash,' Bella and Ron grumbled together, rubbing which body part had been the most painful after.

**Both trolleys hit the barrier and bounced backwards. Ron's trunk fell off with a loud thump. Bella was knocked off her feet, and Hedwig's cage bounced onto the shiny floor and she rolled away, shrieking indignantly. People all around them stared and a guard nearby yelled, "What in blazes d'you think you're doing?"**

"**Lost control of the trolley," Bella gasped, clutching her ribs as she got up.**

Mrs Weasley looked at her worriedly. Bella just smiled at her.

**Ron ran to pick up Hedwig, who was causing such a scene that there was a lot of murmuring about cruelty to animals from around the surrounding crowd. **

'Even if you could get through now, you would be notice, they're all watching you.' Mad eye said.

"**Why can't we get through?" Bella hissed to Ron. **

"**I dunno –"**

**Ron looked wildly around. A dozen curious people were still watching them. **

'Can't go, even if you wanted to.' said Luna dreamily.

"**We're going to miss the train," Ron whispered. "I don't understand why the gateways sealed itself ..."**

'Why has it sealed itself?' Tonks asked curiously. Bella smiled at her.

'What does that mean?' she said impatiently.

'It will be before the end of this book,' Bella said calmly, Tonks scowled at the young girl.

**Bella looked up at the giant clock with a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach. Ten seconds ... nine seconds ... **

**She wheeled her trolley forward cautiously until it was right against the barrier, and pushed with all her might. The metal remained solid. **

**Three seconds ... two seconds ... one second ... **

"**It's gone," said Ron, sounding stunned. "The train's left. What if Mum and Dad can't get back through to us? Have you got any muggle money?"**

**Bella gave a hollow laugh. "The Dursleys haven't given me pocket money in six years."**

'They gave you some?'

Bella nodded, 'Not much though, I mean... I only got about a pound a month or something,' she said

**Ron pressed his ear to the cold barrier. **

"**Can't hear a thing," he said tensely. "What are we going to do? I don't know how long it'll take Mum and Dad to get back to us." **

**They looked around. People were still watching them, mainly because of Hedwig's continuing screeches. **

"**I think we'd better go and wait by the car," said Bella. "We're attracting too much atten –"**

"**Bella!" said Ron, his eyes gleaming. "The car!"**

'You didn't,' said Sirius, grinning

'They did!' laughed the twins.

'We were so jealous when we heard,' Said Fred

'But at least we can say we owned the car,' George sighed.

'That wick –' Sirius stopped, as he had caught Mrs Weasley, and then McGonagall's eye. 'That was very wrong Isabella, very wrong indeed,' he said sternly but then winked when they turned back to the book.

'You really should have sent Hedwig,' said Mr Weasley kindly.

'Thinking about it, Dobby proberly would have stopped her from getting to Hogwarts,' said Hermione.

'Actually, yeah, he properly would have.' said Bella.

'But then wait for us to come back through, to get you to school,' said Mrs Weasley sternly.

'We didn't know if you could come back through, we had no idea what was going on.' Said Ron.

"**What about it?"**

"**We can fly the car to Hogwarts!"**

"**But I thought –"**

"**We're stuck right? And we've got to get to school, haven't we? And even underage wizards are allowed to use magic if it's a real emergency, section nineteen or something of the Restrictional of Thingy ..."**

'Excellent use of the law, Ron,' laughed Tonks. Ron blushed.

'We were twelve,' said Bella, smiling.

**Bella's feeling of panic turned suddenly to excitement. **

"**Can you fly it?"**

"**No problem" said Ron, wheeling his trolley around to face the exit. **

"**C'mon, let's go, if we hurry we'll be able to follow the Hogwarts Express."**

'Better than follow the spiders.' Ron mumbled under his breath.

**And they marched off through the crowd of Muggles, out of the station and back into the side road where the Ford Angelia was parked. **

**Ron unlocked the cavernous with a series of taps with his wand. They heaved their trunks back in, put Hedwig on the back seat and got into the front. **

"**Check no one's watching," said Ron, starting the ignition with another tap of his wand. Bella stuck her head out of the window: traffic was rumbling along the main road ahead, but their street was empty. **

'Constant vigilance!' Moody barked, causing most people to jump.

'Mad eye!' yelled Tonks angrily, clutching her heart.

"**Ok," she said. **

**Ron pressed a tiny silver button on the dashboard. The car around them vanished – and so did they. Bella could feel the seat vibrating beneath her, hear the engine, feeling her hands on her knees and her glasses on her nose, but for all she could see, she had become a pair of eyeballs, floating a few feet above the ground in a dingy street full of parked cars. **

'You have a really weird imagination,' said Neville, Bella just shrugged.

"**Let's go," said Ron's voice from her right. **

**The ground and the dirty buildings on either side fell away, dropping down out of sight as the car rose; in seconds, the whole of London lay, smoky and glittering below them. Then there was a popping noise and the car, Bella and Ron reappeared. **

'It's faulty.' Mad eye growled. 'Get to the clouds quickly!'

"**Uh oh," said Ron, jabbing at the Invisibility Booster. "It's faulty –"**

**Both of them pummelled it. The car vanished. Then it flickered back again. **

"**Hold on!" Ron yelled, and he slammed his foot on the accelerator; they shot straight into the low woolly clouds and everything turned dull and foggy. **

"**Now what?" said Bella, blinking at the solid mass of cloud pressing on them from all sides. **

"**We need to see the train to know what direction to go in," said Ron. **

"**Dip back down again – quickly –"**

**They dropped back beneath the clouds and twisted around their seats, squinting at the ground –**

"**I can see it!" Bella yelled. "Right ahead – there!"**

**The Hogwarts Express was streaking along below them like a scarlet snake. **

'Snake,' Ron chuckled looking amused at his best friend, who had her arms crossed and eyes narrowed at him, though this only made the youngest Weasley boy laugh harder.

"**Due North," said Ron, checking the compass on the dashboard. "Ok, we'll just have to check on it every hour or so. Hold on ..." And they shot up through the clouds. A minute or so later, they burst out into the blaze of sunlight. **

**It was a different world. The wheels of the car skimmed the sea of fluffy cloud, the sky a bright, endless blue under the blinding white sun. **

Yeah it was nice for a while,' Ron murmured. 'But before long it was horrible.

"**All we've got to worry about now are aeroplanes," said Ron. **

**They looked at each other and started to laugh; for a long time, they couldn't stop. **

Most of the adults looked at them with raised eyebrows.

'I dunno,' Ron muttered

'I reckon it was the atmosphere getting to us,' Bella said shrugging.

**It was as though they had been plunged into a fabulous dream. This, thought Bella, was the only way to travel: past swirls and turrets of snowy cloud, in a car full of hot, bright sunlight, with a fat pack of toffees in the glove compartment, and the prospect of seeing Fred and George's jealous faces when they landed smoothly and spectacularly on the sweeping lawn in front of Hogwarts castle. **

'Yeah that didn't happen so much.' Bella grumbled rubbing the side of her head where the big bump had been.

**They made regular checks on the train as they flew further and further north, each dip beneath the clouds showing them a different view. London was soon far behind them, replaced by neat green fields which gave way in turn to wide, purplish moors, villages with tiny toy churches and a great city alive with cars like multi-coloured ants. **

'You're imagination is _really_ weird,' Neville said, Bella stuck her tongue out at her friend.

**Several uneventful hours later, however, Bella had to admit that some of the fun was wearing off. **

**The toffees had made them extremely thirsty and they had nothing to drink. She and Ron had pulled of their jumpers, but Bella's T-shirt was sticking to the back of her seat her glasses kept sliding down the end of her sweaty nose.**

'So really, you were already punished.' McGonagall said, amused.

'Yep, I wish I had Ron's detention instead of mine,' Bella grumbled.

'I'll take yours any day, I got it worse,' Ron said

'Did not!'

'Did too!'

'Did not!'

'Did –'

'Enough, you two,' Said Mrs Weasley.

Bella whispered 'I did' Remus' lips twitched.

**She was trying to move her hair which was overheating her neck, cursing that she never had a hair bobbles on her,**

Bella smiled. She does now.

**but she didn't like tying her hair up so why would she have them?**

'Cause if you're fighting it can block your vision,' she muttered to her past self seriously.

Sirius and Remus looked her out of the corner of their eye.

**She had stopped noticing the fantastic cloud shapes now, and was thinking longingly of the train miles below, where you could buy ice-cold pumpkin juice from a trolley pushed by a plump witch. **_**Why **_**hadn't they been able to get onto the platform nine and three quarters?**

"**Can't be much further can it?" croaked Ron, hours later still, as the sun started to sink beneath the floor of the cloud, staining it a deep pink. **

'That sounds pretty,' said Luna smiling into space.

'Yeah it was quite pretty, it was cooling down too,' Bella said happily.

"**Ready for another check on the train?"**

**It was still right below them, winding its way past a snow-capped mountain. It was much darker beneath the canopy of clouds. **

**Ron put his foot down on the accelerator and drove them upwards again, but as he did so, the engine began to whine, and Bella's door flew open.**

'IT DID WHAT?' yelled everyone, but Ron and Bella, and those who were slightly calmer about things like this.

'I guess we forgot to mention that,' Bella said blushing. 'Obviously, I was fine.' Hermione scowled at her. They hadn't told her this happened.

**Bella fell out grabbing the inside handle of the car door quickly,**

'Told you I was fine,' she mumbled.

**she clung to it dangling over hundreds of feet in the air.**

'Yes very safe,' Sirius snapped. Bella couldn't help but roll her eyes at him.

"**Bella!" yelled Ron leaning over to try and help her back in,**

'Thanks Ron!' she beamed.

'Don't mention it,' he said grinning.

**Bella tried to push herself up, as Ron held out his hand. **

"**Hold on!" he yelled, she reached grabbed his hand;**

Those who cared for her sighed.

**but it slipped from her grasp. **

'Or not,' muttered Remus, he was going to have even more grey hair by the end of these books.

"**Hold **_**ON**_**!" Ron yelled louder, his eyes wide with worry. **

"**I'm trying!" Bella yelled back. "Your hands are all sweaty."**

Bella snorted, Ron huffed.

'Mine where too,' she pointed out. 'It was the heat, you idiot,' she said laughing.

**Finally with one big reach Bella grasped Ron's hand tightly**

'Hey hey' said Fred grinning. 'Sorry Neville, she's chosen Ron.' Neville fake sighed; while Ron and Bella looked as though they were going to be sick.

'EEEWWWWWWW NO WAY IN HELL!' Bella said

'BELLA'S MY SISTER!' Ron roared at them. 'It would be like you dating Ginny,' he said turning greener. With this George's head snapped up, he knew they were telling the truth. Ron and Bella would never get to together. Hermione felt a lot better too, thought Bella had already told her this. It was good that she knew Ron didn't like her either.

**and he help drag her back into the car. When her feet were in; she slammed the door shut. Panting, Bella and Ron shared nervous glances. **

"**Best put the lock on," he said clicking a button on his side.**

The group felt more comfortable now that Bella was back inside the car and the lock was on.

**The car gave another whine. **

'Please don't throw anyone out this time,' Mrs Weasley whispered.

"**It's probably just tired," said Ron. "It's never been this far before ..."**

**And they both pretended not to notice the whining growing louder and louder as the sky became steadily darker. Stars were blossoming in the blackness. **

**Bella pulled her jumper back on, trying to ignore the way the windscreen wipers were now waving as though in protest. **

'This doesn't sound good,' muttered Remus. He hoped the conclusion he had come to wasn't true, but he knew it proberly was**. **

"**Not far," said Ron, more to the car than Bella, "not far now," and he patted the dashboard nervously. **

**When they flew back beneath the clouds a little while later, they had to squint through the darkness for a landmark they knew. **

"_**There!**_**" Bella shouted, making Ron and Hedwig jump. "Straight ahead!"**

**Silhouetted on the dark horizon, high on the cliff over the lake, stood the many turrets and towers of Hogwarts castle. **

Everyone smiled. It really was beautiful.

**But the car began to shudder and was losing speed. **

"**Come on," said Ron cajolingly,**

'Hermione,' said Ron and the twins as Sirius said 'Remus,'

'It means he was trying to encourage it. Give it a pep talk.' Remus told them smiling.

**giving the steering wheel a little shake, "nearly there, come on –"**

**The engine groaned. Narrow jets of steam were issuing from under the bonnet. Bella found herself gripping the edges of her seat very hard as they flew towards the lake. **

Those who, considered the two a part of their family; where clutching their seats, or they were crossing their fingers praying they had no bad injuries.

**The car gave a nasty wobble. Glancing out of his window, Bella saw the smooth, black, glassy surface of the water, a mile below. Ron's knuckles were white on the steering wheel. The car wobbled again. **

"**Come **_**on**_**," Ron muttered. **

**They were over the lake ... the castle was right ahead ... Ron put his foot down. **

**There was a loud clunk, a splutter, and the engine died completely. **

'Crap!'

'Charles!' said Mrs Weasley dangerously.

"**Uh oh," said Ron, into the silence. **

**The nose of the car dropped. They were falling, gathering speed, heading straight for the solid castle wall. **

Ok maybe the Willow is better than that! Remus cried in his head.

"_**Noooooo!**_**" Ron yelled, swinging the steering wheel around; they missed the dark stone wall by inches as the car turned in a great arc, soaring over the dark greenhouses, then the vegetable patch and then out over the black lawns, losing height all the time. **

**Ron let go of the steering wheel and pulled out his wand out of his back pocket. **

"**STOP! STOP! STOP!" he yelled,**

'I don't think that's going to work son,' Mr Weasley said, pale faced.

**whacking the dashboard and the windscreen, but they were still plummeting, the ground flying up towards them... **

'**MIND THAT TREE!' **

Remus and Sirius froze.

'HOLY FU-'

'SIRIUS BLACK DON'T YOU DARE FINNISH THAT WORD!' yelled Mrs Weasley and McGonagall.

'THEY END UP IN THE WILLOW!' yelled Sirius, looking extremely pale.

'I hate your luck, Isabella,' Remus said in a dead voice.

'Think of it as an introduction to the tree, next year we get to –.' said Bella. Bella stopped talking. Remus just looked at her as if to say 'If you value your life be quiet.'

**Bella bellowed, lunging for the steering wheel, but too late –**

**CRUNCH. **

**With an ear-splitting bang of metal on wood, they hit the thick tree trunk and dropped to the ground with a heavy jolt. Steam was billowing from under the crumpled bonnet; Hedwig was shrieking in terror, a golf-ball sized lump was throbbing on Bella's head where she had hit the windscreen,**

'You never told me that, Potter.' said Snape. Bella shrugged.

'Why would I tell you, you would just say, I was just wanting to be a pampered hot head.'

'I was also there, Potter,' said McGonagall sharply

'It didn't really hurt,' she said, watching her professors wearily.

**and to her right, Ron let out a low, despairing groan. **

"**Are you Ok?" Bella said urgently. **

"**My wand," said Ron, in a shaky voice. "Look at my wand."**

**It had snapped, almost in two; the tip was dangling limply, held on by a few splinters. **

"**Be thankful it wasn't your neck." Bella gasped,**

'Even then, you're joking.' Neville said, unsure of whether to laugh ,or wet himself.

'Who says it's a joke' Bella said, her eyebrows raised.

**but before she could open her mouth to say she was sure they'd be able to mend it up at school. At that very moment, something hit her side of the car with a force of a charging bull, **

Sirius placed her, once again, on his lap. Bella groaned.

'It's not – ' but Remus sent her a look that made her fall silent.

'Sirius,' he said giving him a different look, Bella didn't know what it mean't but clearly Sirius did, he lifted Bella up and placed her on Remus' lap instead, who wrapped his strong arms around her so she couldn't break his hold. Sirius kept a hold of one of her hands.

'I am not a parcel,' she huffed. 'I am not a little girl –'

'Bella be quiet,' Remus said in a strained voice. 'And stop struggling.' She didn't. It felt a little weird, she knew Remus of course, but it was still new to her to be loved and cared for... she was used to hugs from people sure, but the way Sirius and Remus were treating her... she liked it, but it also confused her? She couldn't remember being hugged and held this way... She was scared to mention it to them though, in case she hurt their feelings, she supposed with all the dangerous things that happened so far, let alone the future this would happen often.

**sending her lurching sideways into Ron**

'Getting your flirts in, are you?' said George laughing, knowing she defiantly didn't like his younger brother, he continued laughing... until he saw the look Bella sent him, then he fell silent Bella gave a smug smile of satisfaction.

**just as an equally heavy blow hit the roof.**

Remus' arms wrapped tighter, pulling her closer to his chest. Bella started grumbling about how this was stupid and there was no point to her sitting here, as it was obvious she and Ron were fine. 

"**What's happen –?" Ron gasped, staring through the windscreen, and Bella looked around just in time to see a branch as thick as a python **

The trio smirked.

**smash into it. The tree they had hit was attacking them.**

'Bet you weren't expecting that,' Fred said, trying to release some of the tension building.

'Nah, the trees I used to climb did the same,' Bella said laughter fairly apparent in her voice.

**Its trunk was bent almost double, and its gnarled boughs were pummelling every inch of the car it could reach. **

'Remus! You're suffocating me!' she complained. He ignored her.

"**Aaargh!" said Ron, as another twisted limb punched a large dent into his door;**

Mrs Weasleys face drained of all colour.

**the windscreen was now trembling under a hail of blows from knuckle-like twigs and a branch as thick as a battering ram was pounding furiously at the roof, which seemed to be caving in –**

"**Run for it!" Ron shouted, throwing his full weight against his door, but next second he had been knocked backwards into Bella's lap**

'First Neville in the last book now Ron _again_, blimey Bella your popular.' Said Fred Bella glare at him from Remus lap, taking away some of her dignity.

**by a vicious upper cut from another branch. **

"**We're done for!" he moaned, as the ceiling sagged, but suddenly the floor of the car was vibrating – the engine restarted. **

'DRIVE!' yelled Sirius, Mr and Mrs Weasley, Fred, George, Remus, Tonks, Ginny, Charlie, Neville, Bill ,and Hermione.

'Remus! That was right in my ears,' she complained, rubbing the said ear.

"_**Reverse**_**!" Bella yelled, and the car shot backwards. The tree was still trying to hit them; they could hear its roots creaking as it ripped itself up, lashing out at them as they sped out of reach. **

They all sighed in relief. When Draco found himself doing so, he was slightly confused. Why would he care... It is just because you humiliated them a lot over the last few years you wouldn't have been able to do that. Not like your starting to like them or anything,' said a drawing voice in his head.

"**That," panted Ron, "was close. Well done, car."**

**The car, however, had reached the end of its tether. With two small clunks, the doors flew open Bella felt her seat tip side-ways: next thing she knew she was sprawled on the damp ground. Loud thuds told her that the car was ejecting their luggage from the boot. Hedwig's cage flew through the air and burst open; she rose out of it with a loud, angry screech and sped off towards the castle without a backwards look.**

Bella grinned her owl had serious attitude.

**Then, dented, scratched and steaming, the car rumbled off into the darkness, its rear light blazing angrily.**

"**Come back!" Ron yelled after it, brandishing his broken wand. "Dad'll kill me!"**

Mr Weasley smiled at his son, who smiled back sheepishly.

**But the car disappeared from view with one last snort from it exhaust. **

"**Can you **_**believe**_** out luck?" said Ron miserably, bending down to pick up Scabbers the rat. **

People scowled at Scabbers.

"**Of all the trees we could hit, we had to get the one that hits back." **

'Thanks Bella,' Ron said dryly. Bella huffed it wasn't her fault.

**He glanced over his shoulder at the ancient tree, which was still flailing its branches threateningly. **

"**Come on," said Bella wearily, "we'd better get up to the school ..."**

**It wasn't all the triumphant arrival they had pictured. Stiff, cold and bruised, they seized the ends of their trunks and began dragging them up the grassy slope, towards the great oak front doors. **

'And home.' Bella whispered, so quietly Remus barely heard, and she was still sitting on his lap!

"**I think the feast's already started," said Ron, dropping his trunk at the foot of front steps and crossing quietly to look through a brightly lit window. "Hey, Bella, come and look – it's the Sorting!"**

**Bella hurried over and, together, she and Ron peered in at the Great Hall. **

**Innumerable candle were hovering in mid-air over four long, crowded tables, making the golden plates and goblets sparkle. Overhead, the bewitched ceiling which mirrored the sky outside, sparkled with stars. **

**Through the forest of pointed black Hogwarts hats, Bella saw a long line of scared-looking first-years filing into the Hall. Ginny was amongst them, easy to see because of her vivid Weasley hair. **

Weasley children cheered

**Meanwhile, Professor McGonagall, a bespectacled witch with her hair in a tight bun, was placing the famous Hogwarts Sorting Hat on a stool before the newcomers. **

'Did you see mine?' Ginny asked. They both shook their heads, glumly.

'Only saw Colin's,' Bella sighed, Neville and Ron snorted.

'What?' said Sirius excitedly.

'Bella gets an admirer this year,' Neville snorted, Bella sent daggers at him but he just laughed harder.

**Every year, this aged old hat, patched, frayed and dirty, sorted new students into the four Hogwarts houses (Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin). Bella well remembered putting it on, exactly a year ago, and waiting, petrified, for its decision as it muttered aloud in her ear. For a few horrible seconds she had feared that the hat was going to put her in Slytherin,**

Snape still couldn't believe_ Potter_ was almost in his house, Potter senor would have rolled in his grave. Lily wouldn't have cared... as long as she was happy.

**the house which turned out more dark witches and wizards than any other – but she ended up in Gryffindor, along with Ron, Hermione and the rest of the Weasleys.**

McGonagall smiled she loved being Bella's head of year even though sometimes like with her father, only worse (which she didn't think was possible). She would sent her to an early grave.

**Last term, Bella and Ron helped Gryffindor win the House Championship, beating Slytherin for the first time in seven years. **

All the Gryffindors smiled smugly at Draco, who scowled back.

**A very small, mousey-haired boy had been called forward to place the hat on his head. Bella's eyes wandered past him to where Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster, sat watching the Sorting from the staff table, his long silver beard and half-moon glasses shining brightly in the candlelight. Several seats along, Bella saw Gilderoy Lockhart, dressed in robes of aquamarine. And there at the end was Hagrid, huge and hairy, drinking deeply from his goblet.**

"**Hang on ..." Bella muttered to Ron. "There's an empty chair at the staff table ... Where's Snape?"**

Snape smirked to himself, the looks on their faces when they turned around, especially Weasleys. 

**Professor Snape was Bella's least favourite teacher. Bella also happened to be Snape's least favourite student. Cruel, sarcastic and disliked by everyone but the students from his own house (Slytherin), Snape taught potions. **

"**Maybe he's ill!" said Ron hopefully. **

Ron's ears went red.

"**Maybe he's **_**left**_**," said Bella, "because he missed out on the Defence Against the Dark Arts job **_**again**_**!"**

Bella turned her torso and hid in Remus' chest, while Snap's smirk got bigger. Sirius caught it.

'He's right behind you isn't he?' he sighed. The question was to either Ron or Bella but neither responded.

"**Or be might have been **_**sacked**_**!" said Ron enthusiastically. "I mean everybody hates him –"**

"**Or maybe,' said a very cold voice right behind them, 'he's waiting to hear why you two didn't arrive on the school train."**

Both children where bright red, cringing at what had just been read.

'You're luck really is rotten,' Luna said smiling sympathetically.

**Bella spun around. There, in his black robes ripping the cold breeze, stood Severus Snape. He was a thin man with sallow skin, a hooked nose and greasy, shoulder-length black hair,**

This description made Snape's smirk vanish into a snarl, Bella didn't move from her hiding place.

**and at this moment, he was smiling in a way that told Bella she and Ron were in very deep trouble. **

'He loves giving that look to you,' Neville said trying not to look at the potion's master.

"**Follow me," said Snape. **

**Not daring to look at each other, Bella and Ron followed Snape right up the steps into the vast, echoing Entrance Hall, which was light up with flaming torches. A delicious smell of food was wafting from the Great Hall, but Snape lead them away from the warmth and light, down a narrow stone staircase that led straight into the dungeons.**

'Remus?' said Bella innocently.

'Hmm?' he mumbled

'Now we're away from the willow can I please _get off your lap!_" she said struggling.

Remus chuckled and picked her up, cradling her like a baby (just to annoy her) causing another huff from Bella (so it worked), and walked to where the twins sat and passed her to George, keeping his hold on her so she couldn't escape.

'You said _my_ lap not anyone else's!' he said, still chuckling.

'George, don't let her go,' he warned him. As he let go of Bella, George's hands replaced Remus'.

'You're all cruel.' Bella said, not even bothering to struggle. It was strange she felt different in George's arms, not a little uncomfortable like in Sirius's and Remus', she didn't mind so much. She guessed that it was because she had known him longer.

'Really, really cruel.' They all laughed. George was trying not to look too pleased with what happened, he couldn't believe his luck, _and _she wasn't struggling like she had with everyone else.

"**In!" he said, opening a door halfway down the cold passageway and pointing. **

**They entered Snape's office, shivering. The shadowy walls were lined with shelves of large glass jars, which floated all manner of revolting things Bella didn't really didn't want to know the name of at the moment. The fireplace was dark and empty. Snape closed the door and turned to look at them. **

"**So," he said softly, "the train isn't good enough for the famous Isabella Potter**

'I wish he wouldn't do that,' Bella grumbled

'Do what?' whispered George, trying to keep the smile off his face.

'Mention the fame... and Isabella.' She whispered back. George smiled at her.

'He's the dungeon bat what do you expect?' he said grinning. She chuckled.

**or her faithful sidekick Weasley. Wanted to arrive with a **_**bang**_**, did we?"**

"**No, sir, it was the barrier at King's Cross, it –"**

"**Silence!" said Snape coldly.**

'Let them explain!' Sirius said angrily.

"**What have you done with the car?"**

**Ron gulped. This wasn't the first time Snape had given Bella impression of being able to read minds. **

Bella scowled at that.

**But a moment later, she understood, as Snape unrolled today's issue of the **_**Evening Prophet**_**. **

"**You were seen," he hissed, showing them the headline: FLYING FORD ANGLIA MYSTIFIES MUGGLES. He began to read out loud. **

"'**Two Muggles in London convinced they saw an old car flying over the post office tower ... at noon in Norfolk, Mrs Hetty Bayliss, while hanging out her washing ... Mr Angus Fleet, of Peebles, reported to the police' ... six or seven Muggles in all. I believe **_**your**_** father works in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office?" he said looking up at Ron and smiling still more nastily. "Dear, dear ... his own son ..."**

Ron shifted in his seat nervously.

**Bella felt as though she had been walloped in the stomach by one of the mad tree's larger branches. If anyone found out Mr Weasley had bewitched the car ... she hadn't thought of that...**

'You're alright, Bella,' he said, smiling at her on his sons lap. 

"**I noticed, in my search of the park, that a considerable amount of damage had been done to a very valuable Whomping Willow," Snape went on. **

"**That tree did more damage to **_**us**_** than we –" Ron blurted out.**

The twins, Remus, Sirius, Bill and Charlie all laughed, while Mr Weasley, Dumbledore and McGonagall's lips twitched.

'Brilliant,' said Fred laughing. 

"_**Silence!**_**" snapped Snape again. "Most unfortunately, you are not in my house and the decision to expel you does not rest with me.**

'Now I am really glad I am not in Slytherin.' Bella muttered.

**I shall go fetch the people who **_**do **_**have the happy power. You will wait here."**

**Bella and Ron stared at each other, white-faced. Bella didn't feel hungry any more. She now felt extremely sick. She tried not to look at a large, slimy something suspended in green liquid on a shelf behind Snape's desk. If Snape had gone to fetch Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor House, they were hardly any better off. She might be fairer than Snape, but she was still extremely strict.**

McGonagall smiled at that.

**Ten minutes later, Snape returned, and sure enough it was Professor McGonagall who accompanied him. Bella had seen Professor McGonagall angry on several occasions, but either she had forgotten just how thin her mouth could go, or she had never seen her this angry before.**

'I think it was probably a little of both,' Sirius said wisely, earning a scowl form the very same McGonagall.

**She raised her wand the moment she entered; Bella and Ron both flinched,**

'I wasn't going to hit you,' McGonagall said.

'We know,' said Ron. 'You just looked really angry.

**but she merely pointed it at the empty fireplace, where flames suddenly erupted.**

**"****Sit," she said, and they both backed into chairs by the fire.**

**"****Explain," she said, her glasses glinting ominously.**

'One word commands,' whistled Sirius 'That's bad.'

'Thank you, Black.' McGonagall said stiffly. It was so strange seeing her anger through whoever was receiving it's point of view.

**Ron launched into the story, starting with the barrier at the station refusing to let them through.**

**"— ****so we had no choice, Professor, we couldn't get on the train."**

**"****Why didn't you send us a letter by owl? I believe you have an owl?" Professor McGonagall said coldly to Bella.**

'Dobby would have stopped her.' Hermione said feeling sorry for her two best friends.

**Bella gaped at her. Now she said it, that seemed the obvious thing to have done.**

Several people smiled at her warmly.

**"****I — I didn't think —"**

**"That," said Professor McGonagall, "is obvious."**

The twins and Sirius couldn't help but snort at that. Dumbledore also gave a chuckle.

**There was a knock on the office door and Snape, now looking happier than ever, opened it.**

**There stood the headmaster, Professor Dumbledore. Bella's whole body went numb. Dumbledore was looking unusually grave. He stared down his very crooked nose at them, and Bella suddenly found herself wishing she and Ron were still being beaten up by the Whomping Willow.**

'You really do have that effect, it's worse than shouting,' Remus said to his old headmaster smiling.

Dumbledore chuckled.

**There was a long silence. Then Dumbledore said, "Please explain why you did this."**

**It would have been better if he had shouted.**

'I don't think I have ever heard him shout angrily.' Bella said thoughtfully.

'Nor shall you ever,' Dumbledore said.

**Bella hated the disappointment in his voice. For some reason, she was unable to look Dumbledore in the eyes, and spoke instead to his knees. She told Dumbledore everything except that Mr. Weasley owned the bewitched car, making it sound as though she and Ron had happened to find a flying car parked outside the station. She knew Dumbledore would see through this at once, but Dumbledore asked no questions about the car. When Bella had finished, he merely continued to peer at them through his spectacles.**

'Bless her,' cooed Fred pinching one of her cheeks; she whacked his hand away eyes flashing.

'Don't ever do that again,' she said angrily, rubbing the slightly sore cheek.

**"****We'll go and get our stuff," said Ron in a hopeless sort of voice.**

**"****What are you talking about, Weasley?" barked Professor McGonagall.**

**"****Well, you're expelling us, aren't you?" said Ron.**

**Bella looked quickly at Dumbledore.**

**"****Not today, Mr. Weasley," said Dumbledore. "But I must impress upon both of you the seriousness of what you have done. I will be writing to both your families tonight.**

'That really isn't a punishment for Potter.' Malfoy pointed out. 'They won't care.'

**I must also warn you that if you do anything like this again, I will have no choice but to expel you."**

Bella and Ron grinned remembering his words after the chamber.

**Snape looked as though Christmas had been cancelled. **

Snape glared at her.

'You did,' she defended herself.

**He cleared his throat and said, "Professor Dumbledore, these children have flouted the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry, caused serious damage to an old and valuable tree**

'Severus you hate that tree,' Remus said calmly.

'It's wasn't so much the tree I hated Lupin,' Snape sneered.

'Don't talk to him like that!' Bella hissed at Snape, who raised his eyebrows.

'I can talk to him how I like Potter' he said silkily. Hermione read on she didn't want a fight.

'Slimy git,' she muttered. George's lip twitched.

— **surely acts of this nature —"**

**"****It will be for Professor McGonagall to decide on these children's punishments, Severus," said Dumbledore calmly. "They are in her House and are therefore her responsibility." He turned to Professor McGonagall. "I must go back to the feast, Minerva, I've got to give out a few notices. Come, Severus, there's a delicious-looking custard tart I want to sample —"**

Everyone in the room bar, Snape, Percy and Malfoy grinned at that.

**Snape shot a look of pure venom at Bella and Ron as he allowed himself to be swept out of his office, leaving them alone with Professor McGonagall, who was still eyeing them like a wrathful eagle.**

**"****You'd better get along to the hospital wing, Weasley, you're bleeding."**

McGonagall frowned remembering Potter's bump on the head, she hadn't seen it through all her hair.

**"****Not much," said Ron, hastily wiping the cut over his eye with his sleeve. "Professor, I wanted to watch my sister being Sorted —"**

**"****The Sorting Ceremony is over," said Professor McGonagall. "Your sister is also in Gryffindor."**

**"****Oh, good," said Ron.**

**"****And speaking of Gryffindor —" Professor McGonagall said sharply, but Bella cut in: **

**"Professor, when we took the car, term hadn't started, so — so Gryffindor shouldn't really have points taken from it — should it?"**

Again nearly everyone was laughing at that.

'That was brilliant,' Sirius said whipping his eyes.

'I let her off with that, for a second I thought James had possessed her.' She chuckled smiling fondly at Bella, who blushed.

**she finished, watching McGonagall anxiously.**

**Professor McGonagall gave her a piercing look, but she was sure she had almost smiled.**

'As you know now, I knew your father very well it was what he would have said.' She said still smiling at her. Bella felt her smile grow bigger.

**Her mouth looked less thin, anyway.**

**"****I will not take any points from Gryffindor," she said, and Bella's heart lightened considerably. "But you will both get a detention."**

**It was better than Bella had expected. As for Dumbledore's writing to the Dursleys, that was nothing. Bella knew perfectly well they'd just be disappointed that the Whomping Willow hadn't squashed her flat.**

Many people scowled at that reminder.

**Professor McGonagall raised her wand again and pointed it at Snape's desk. A large plate of sandwiches, two silver goblets, and a jug of iced pumpkin juice appeared with a pop.**

**"****You will eat in here and then go straight up to your dormitory," she said. "I must also return to the feast."**

**When the door had closed behind her, Ron let out a long, low whistle.**

**"****I thought we'd had it," he said, grabbing a sandwich.**

**"****So did I," said Bella, taking one, too.**

**"****Can you believe our luck, though?" said Ron thickly through a mouthful of chicken and ham. "Fred and George must've flown that car five or six times and no Muggle ever saw them." He swallowed and took another huge bite.**

'Hmmm.' Said Mrs Weasley watching her identical sons suspiciously.

'We didn't mum,' said Fred

'Ron's just saying that,' George said.

'We'll talk later boys.' She said sternly.

**"Why couldn't we get through the barrier?"**

**Bella shrugged. "We'll have to watch our step from now on, though," she said, taking a grateful swig of pumpkin juice. "Wish we could've gone up to the feast…"**

**"****She didn't want us showing off," said Ron sagely. "Doesn't want people to think it's clever, arriving by flying car."**

**When they had eaten as many sandwiches as they could (the plate kept refilling itself) they rose and left the office, treading the familiar path to Gryffindor Tower. The castle was quiet; it seemed that the feast was over. They walked past muttering portraits and creaking suits of armour, and climbed narrow flights of stone stairs, until at last they reached the passage where the secret entrance to Gryffindor Tower was hidden, behind an oil painting of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.**

**"****Password?" she said as they approached.**

**"****Er —" said Bella.**

**They didn't know the new year's password, not having met a Gryffindor prefect yet, but help came almost immediately; they heard hurrying feet behind them and turned to see Hermione dashing toward them.**

'Hermione, what did you do when we were, you know...' Ron started to ask.

'Not on the train,' she said, 'worry about you two, then talking to Ginny and Neville.' Hermione said smiling.

'Oh,' Bella and Ron said together.

**"****There you are! Where have you been? The most ridiculous rumours — someone said you'd been expelled for crashing a flying car!"**

**"****Well, we haven't been expelled," Bella assured her.**

The twins laughed.

'Good one,' the said together. Bella turned her head so she could smile at them both.

**"****You're not telling me you did fly here?" said Hermione, sounding almost as severe as Professor McGonagall.**

**"****Skip the lecture," said Ron impatiently, "and tell us the new password."**

Hermione huffed

**"It's 'wattlebird,'" said Hermione impatiently, "but that's not the point —"**

**Her words were cut short, however, as the portrait of the fat lady swung open and there was a sudden storm of clapping. It looked as though the whole of Gryffindor House was still awake, packed into the circular common room, standing on the lopsided tables and squashy armchairs, waiting for them to arrive. Arms reached through the portrait hole to pull Bella and Ron inside, leaving Hermione to scramble in after them.**

**"****Brilliant!" yelled Lee Jordan. "Inspired! What an entrance! Flying a car right into the Whomping Willow, people'll be talking about that one for years —"**

'Were they?'

'Every being of the year someone mentions it,' Neville said smiling.

**"****Good for you," said a fifth year Bella had never spoken to; someone was patting her on the back as though she'd just won a marathon; Fred and George pushed their way to the front of the crowd and said together, "Why couldn't we've come in the car, eh?"**

**Ron was scarlet in the face, grinning embarrassedly, but Bella could see one person who didn't look happy at all. Percy was visible over the heads of some excited first years,**

'Uh oh,' said George

'Look out the gits about,' Fred said, Percy scowled at them; Mrs Weasley gave them a look that said 'Stop right now!'

**and he seemed to be trying to get near enough to start telling them off. Bella nudged Ron in the ribs and nodded in Percy's direction. Ron got the point at once.**

**"****Got to get upstairs — bit tired," she said, and the two of them started pushing their way toward the door on the other side of the room, which led to a spiral staircase and the dormitories.**

**"'****Night," Bella called back to Hermione, who was wearing a scowl just like Percy's.**

Hermione frowned at that.

'I am sorry Hermione,' Bella said guiltily. Hermione smiled and read on.

**They managed to get to the other side of the common room, still having their backs slapped, and gained the peace of the staircase. They hurried up it, right to the top, and at last reached the door of their old dormitory, which now had a sign on it saying SECOND YEARS. They entered the familiar, circular room, with its five four-posters hung with red velvet and its high, narrow windows. Their trunks had been brought up for them and stood at the ends of their beds.**

**Ron grinned guiltily at Bella.**

**"****I know I shouldn't've enjoyed that or anything, but…"**

The teachers rolled their eyes.

**The dormitory door flew open and in came the other second year Gryffindor boys, Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, and Neville Longbottom.**

**"****Unbelievable!" beamed Seamus.**

**"****Cool," said Dean.**

**"****Amazing," said Neville, awestruck.**

**Bella couldn't help it. She grinned, too.**

Again the teachers groaned.

'Hey, I was twelve,' she said pouting.

'That's the end of the chapter,' Hermione said putting the book on her lap.

'I said I'd read next,' Remus said taking it from her.

"**Gilderoy Lockhart" **Remus read.


	6. Gilderoy Lockhart

"**Gilderoy Lockhart" **Remus read.

The teachers and students who where there groaned loudly.

'How come he gets a chapter to himself?' Ron moaned.

'Cause the bloody git would never leave me alone,' Bella grumbled.

**The next day, however, Bella barely grinned once. Things started to go downhill from breakfast in the Great Hall.**

Mrs Weasley sent Ron a stern look and he slid down slightly in his chair.

'Who wants to bet Molly sent Ron a howler?' Sirius said, grinning. Mrs Weasley sent him a look that would make Voldemort himself recoil. Sirius hid behind Remus just to be sure.

'Idiot,' Remus laughed.

'Where's that Gryffindor courage you always blather on about Black?' Snape sneered. The two black haired men glared at each other for a moment before Dumbledore cleared his throat.

**The four long house tables were laden with tureens of porridge, plates of kippers, mountains of toast, and dishes of eggs and bacon, beneath the enchanted ceiling** ** (today, a dull, cloudy grey). **

'Typical Brit weather,' Bill sighed.

**Bella and Ron sat down at the Gryffindor table next to Hermione, who had her copy of Voyages with Vampires propped open against a milk jug. There was a slight stiffness in the way she said **

**"Morning," which told Bella that she was still disapproving of the way they had arrived. **

Hermione glared at her. Bella smiled back.

**Neville Longbottom, on the other hand, greeted them cheerfully. Neville was a round-faced and accident-prone boy with the worst memory of anyone Bella had ever met.**

'Besides Snape, I think I have the worse introduction,' he grumbled.

'Sorry Nev, you were just shy, it's all confidence.' Bella said firmly.

'I have been telling you this for years Longbottom,' McGonagall said peering at him through her square spectacles.

'I also thought it was lack of confidence Neville,' Remus said kindly. 'Once you get that, you'll be a brilliant strong wizard... one that I would say your parents would be very proud.' Neville was now beetroot coloured. Remus gave him one last smile then started to read again.

"**Mail's due any minute — I think Gran's sending a few things I forgot."**

**Bella had only just started her porridge when, sure enough, there was a rushing sound overhead and a hundred or so owls streamed in, circling the hall and dropping letters and packages into the chattering crowd. A big, lumpy package bounced off Neville's head and, a second later, something large and gray fell into Hermione's jug, spraying them all with milk and feathers.**

'Errol,' sighed the Weasley's.

"**Errol!" said Ron, pulling the bedraggled owl out by the feet. Errol slumped, Unconscious, onto the table, his legs in the air and a damp red envelope in his beak.**

'Re – '

'No, Sirius I'm not going to shout it,' he said.

'I think, Bella, should do it,' said Ginny. 'She has quite the set of lungs.' Bella sent a glare at the red head, who just laughed.

'Her impression would be brilliant as well.' Neville laughed.

'Yeah, she can do mum really well,' said Fred

'Made me recoil once,' George added in, Bella elbowed his rib, and felt satisfied when he grunted.

'No' she said

'Go on Bella,' said Ron. 'I'll let you go on my broom when we get back to Hogwarts.'

Bella raised her eyebrows that was a very tempting offer... but Mrs Weasley was sitting right there.

'Why doesn't Mrs Weasley do it?' Bella said nervously.

'Do it!' said Fred

'Yeah, do it or do someone.' George said earning another dig in the ribs.

Bella looked and could tell they weren't going to let them read until she had done it.

'Fine, who but not someone in this room.' She said looking around.

'Come on do Snape,' Fred said.

'I'm not doing Snape,' she said, 'though I'll do Trelawney.' Nearly everyone nodded eagerly.

'_My dear, do not ask me, it's kinder not to say. _And, _you have... the Grim _and _This is the shortest life line I have ever seen my dear. _How's that?_' _

'Spooky,' said Neville grinning, he had heard it before, making Bella laugh.

'Who else can you do?' Remus asked amused.

'She can do, Snape, me, Ron, Hermione, er,' said Neville thinking, 'Professor McGonagall, Dumbledore, Lockhart, Lupin er...'

'Mum, dad, the twins, Mad eye, Percy, Mrs Black –'

'You can do my mother?' Sirius said looking at the girl, she grinned.

'I will when we get to her.' She said.

'Do Dumbledore!' said Fred

'Yeah, he won't mind will you, sir?' said George, Dumbledore shook his head.

'Indeed I would not.' Bella looked wearily at them then.

'_There is a time for speechmaking, but this is not it. Tuck in!' _she said sounding just like he did, looking a little embarrassed.

'Can you do mum shouting?' said Bill excitedly, Bella went pink, 'Do it!' Bella went darker shaking her head embarrassed.

'Dad,' said Ron, 'do dad he won't get mad he'll think it's funny.'

'Yes, go on Bella,' said Mr Weasley looking amused, she shook her head embarrassed. 'The book,' she mumbled.

'Remus just read it a slightly louder voice, for heaven's sake,' Mrs Weasley said feeling sorry for the girl.

"**Oh, no —" Ron gasped.**

"**It's all right, he's still alive," said Hermione, prodding Errol gently with the tip of her finger.**

'I didn't know what a howler was,' Hermione said.

'Yeah, they're not the sort of thing you read about,' Tonks said.

'There something you just know,' said Sirius 'Remember my first howler, Remus?'

'It's when our friendship truly formed,' Remus said smiling. Bella looked between the two; her eyes burning with curiosity.

'For being in Gryffindor,' Sirius said 'Remember Minerva?' He said testing his luck. McGonagall's eyes flashed.

'Yes, I do,' she said

'Looking back now, it was rather amusing actually,' Sirius said, grinning like a maniac.

**"It's not that — it's that."**

**Ron was pointing at the red envelope. It looked quite ordinary to Bella, but Ron and Neville were both looking at it as though they expected it to explode.**

'I'm sure your mother would have sent you a fair few by now, young lady,' Sirius said teasingly, but there was the obvious sadness.

'A few? Why?' she asked puzzled secretly hoping she could have had them.

'The troll defiantly, and maybe not a howler, but once she knew you were alright after the stone she would have gone ballistic, and when she was mad... no morals were safe,' he said shuddering slightly.

'I wonder who that reminds me off,' Ron said smiling at Bella.

'You do realise I take that as a complement, right?' she said. He nodded, grinning at her.

'Then this car journey, would have earned you another,' Sirius finished.

"**What's the matter?" said Bella.**

"**She's — she's sent me a Howler," said Ron faintly.**

"**You'd better open it, Ron," said Neville in a timid whisper. "It'll be worse if you don't. My gran sent me one once, and I ignored it and" — he gulped —"it was horrible."**

**Bella looked from their petrified faces to the red envelope.**

"**What's a Howler?" she said.**

**But Ron's whole attention was fixed on the letter,**

'I am just surprised you didn't jump, Bella,' Neville said.

'Why didn't you tell me?' she said

'It's explained itself before I could start,' Neville said

**which had begun to smoke at the corners.**

"**Open it," Neville urged. "It'll all be over in a few minutes —"**

**Ron stretched out a shaking hand, eased the envelope from Errol's beak, and slit it open. Neville stuffed his fingers in his ears. A split second later, Bella knew why. She thought for a moment it had exploded; a roar of sound filled the huge hall, shaking dust from the ceiling.**

"—**STEALING THE CAR,**

'Aw Remus,' whined Sirius.

'Oh, for goodness sake,' Mrs Weasley snapped, grabbing the book.

**I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE —"**

She didn't yell as loudly as she had at the time, but she was still shouting. Sirius grinned at Remus.

'And that my friend, is how it's done,' he said.

**Mrs. Weasleys yells, a hundred times louder than usual, made the plates and spoons rattle on the table, and echoed deafeningly off the stone walls. People throughout the hall were swivelling around to see who had received the Howler, and Ron sank so low in his chair that only his crimson forehead could be seen.**

"—**LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND BELLA COULD BOTH HAVE DIED —"**

**Bella had been wondering when her name was going to crop up. She tried very hard to look as though she couldn't hear the voice that was making her eardrums throb.**

'You failed,' said Neville, laughing.

"—**ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED — YOUR FATHER'S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME."**

'Here,' Mrs Weasley said, throwing the book back to Remus, who began again.

**A ringing silence fell. The red envelope, which had dropped from Ron's hand, burst into flames and curled into ashes. Bella and Ron sat stunned, as though a tidal wave had just passed over them. A few people laughed and, gradually, a babble of talk broke out again.**

'So, it wasn't too bad,' Sirius said.

'With you,' Remus said, smiling. 'People were so used to your mother's howlers that they could almost do it by heart.'

Bella grinned.

'Sirius?' she said 'A trouble maker? I would have never had thought.' Clutching her face in surprise, he lifted his eyebrows mischievous.

'I might send you one next term, imagine the gossip about Bella Potter receiving a howler from Sirius Black.'

'I reckon Bella should sent one to Voldemort,' said Fred

'The git would be traumatised,' George said nodding. Bella poked his rib again.

'Shut up!' she hissed.

'It would be wicked, imagine it...' Fred said

'Come on Bella, what would you say?' George said squeezing her sides.

'Oh for god's sake,' she said rolling her eyes. 'I'd probably start off with his name... real one. And I... Oh, I dunno, the whole thought of it is ridiculous, just get on with the book!'

**Hermione closed Voyages with Vampires and looked down at the top of Ron's head.**

"**Well, I don't know what you expected, Ron, but you —"**

"**Don't tell me I deserved it," snapped Ron.**

**Bella pushed her porridge away. Her insides were burning with guilt. Mr. Weasley was facing an inquiry at work. After all Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had done for her over the summer…**

Fred and George hit her on the back of the head gently at the same time.

'Hey,' she whined, trying for the first time to remove herself from George's lap. It failed. (Like George is going to let her do that!)

'Ah aha ah!' said George grinning. 'Professor Lupin said I wasn't allowed to let you go.'

'George you can call me– '

'I know, but it sounds better when I say Professor in this case,' he said, gesturing to the struggling Bella, who gave up, sighing.

'You're all mean.' Bella pouted, Remus, Fred and George chuckled.

**But she had no time to dwell on this; Professor McGonagall was moving along the Gryffindor table, handing out course schedules. Bella took her and saw that they had double Herbology with the Hufflepuffs first.**

'Good morning,' said Neville.

'Unlike our Monday's now.' Ron grumbled.

'Binns, Snape, Trelawney and Umbridge,' Bella complained.

'Wow, I thought they banned torture at Hogwarts?' Bill said. Luna went to open her mouth, Bella having a weird feeling she was going to mention something that she didn't want her too, quickly said:

'Hey, Luna, tell me about Nargles again?'

'Oh, Bella, don't be so ridiculous,' Hermione sniffed.

Remus hastily started reading. Bella sighed internally.

**Bella, Ron, and Hermione left the castle together, crossed the vegetable patch, and made for the greenhouses, where the magical plants were kept. At least the Howler had done one good thing:**

**Hermione seemed to think they had now been punished enough and was being perfectly friendly again.**

Hermione scowled at her best friend.

**As they neared the greenhouses they saw the rest of the class standing outside, waiting for Professor Sprout. Bella, Ron, and Hermione had only just joined them when she came striding into view across the lawn, accompanied by Gilderoy Lockhart. **

Bella groaned remembering.

'What?' asked Ginny.

Bella decided to imitate him.

"_Flying a car to Hogwarts! Well, of course, I knew at once why you'd done it. Stood out a mile. Bella, Bella, Bella,_" she said, scowling by the end. Though she did feel slightly sorry for him having just meet him again several days ago at St Mungo's

'How did you do that Potter?' McGonagall said shocked it was a very good impression.

'That is an impressive talent Bella.' Dumbledore said smiling.

She blushed. 'Thanks,'

'How many people can she impersonate,'

'A lot,'

**Professor Sprout's arms were full of bandages, and with another twinge of guilt, Bella spotted the Whomping Willow in the distance, several of its branches now in slings.**

**Professor Sprout was a squat little witch who wore a patched hat over her flyaway hair; there was usually a large amount of earth on her clothes and her fingernails would have made Aunt Petunia faint. **

The twins grinned evilly.

'I don't even have to turn around to know you two are grinning and no.' Bella said in a tired voice. The Weasleys snickered.

**Gilderoy Lockhart, however, was immaculate in sweeping robes of turquoise, his golden hair shining under a perfectly positioned turquoise hat with gold trimming.**

"**Oh, hello there!" he called, beaming around at the assembled students. "Just been showing Professor Sprout the right way to doctor a Whomping Willow! But I don't want you running away with the idea that I'm better at Herbology than she is! I just happen to have met several of these exotic plants on my travels…"**

'Of course you did,' Ron grumbled.

"**Greenhouse three today, chaps!" said Professor Sprout, who was looking distinctly disgruntled, not at all her usual cheerful self.**

'Wow, he's ticking of Sprout,' Bill whistled.

**There was a murmur of interest. They had only ever worked in greenhouse one before — greenhouse three housed far more interesting and dangerous plants. Professor Sprout took a large key from her belt and unlocked the door. Bella caught a whiff of damp earth and fertilizer mingling with the heavy perfume of some giant, umbrella-sized flowers dangling from the ceiling. She was about to follow Ron and Hermione inside when Lockhart's hand shot out.**

'What does he say?' Mad eye growled.

'An annoying lod of nothing.' Bella grumbled.

"**Bella! I've been wanting a word — you don't mind if she's a couple of minutes late, do you, Professor Sprout?"**

**Judging by Professor Sprout's scowl, she did mind, but Lockhart said, "That's the ticket," and closed the greenhouse door in her face.**

'How rude,' tutted McGonagall and Mrs Weasley. Hermione blushed. How had she liked this guy?

"**Isabella," said Lockhart, his large white teeth gleaming in the sunlight as he shook his head. "Bella, Bella, Bella."**

**Completely nonplussed, Bella said nothing.**

"**When I heard — well, of course, it was all my fault. Could have kicked myself."**

**Bella had no idea what he was talking about. She was about to say so when Lockhart went on, "Don't know when I've been more shocked. Flying a car to Hogwarts! Well, of course, I knew at once why you'd done it. Stood out a mile. Bella, Bella, Bella."**

'He likes saying your name,' Ginny said dryly.

**It was remarkable how he could show every one of those brilliant teeth even when he wasn't talking.**

"**Gave you a taste for publicity, didn't I?" said Lockhart. **

'He did not just –' but Mr Weasley got interpreted by Remus

**"Gave you the bug. You got onto the front page of the paper with me and you couldn't wait to do it again."**

'Oh for god sake,' Tonks groaned. She was going to end up shouting at the book.

'Did he really think you enjoyed that photograph?' Fred snorted.

'I actually felt sorry for her little tomato coloured face.' George snickered, earning another dig in the ribs.

'Ouch!'

'Idiot!'

"**Oh, no, Professor, see —"**

"**Bella, Bella, Bella," said Lockhart, reaching out and grasping her shoulder. "I understand. Natural to want a bit more once you've had that first taste — and I blame myself for giving you that, because it was bound to go to your head — but see here, young lady, you can't start flying cars to try and get yourself noticed. Just calm down, all right? Plenty of time for all that when you're older. Yes, yes, I know what you're thinking! 'It's all right for him, he's an internationally famous wizard already!' But when I was twelve, I was just as much of a nobody as you are now.**

Everyone snorted in disbelief.

'Who the hell does he think he is kidding!' gasped Ron.

'"as much as a nobody as you are now."' repeated Remus shaking his head.

**In fact, I'd say I was even more of a nobody! I mean, a few people have heard of you,**

'A _few_ people!' Malfoy said snorting. They ignored him. Percy scowled. This man was beyond annoying.

**haven't they? All that business with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!" He glanced at the lightning scar on Bella's forehead. "I know, I know — it's not quite as good as winning Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award five times in a row, as I have — but it's a start, Bella, it's a start."**

Most of the adults where shaking with fury, the twins with laughter; Bella could feel George's chest moving and rolled her eyes. It wasn't funny.

**He gave Bella a hearty wink and strode off. Bella stood stunned for a few seconds, then, remembering she was supposed to be in the greenhouse, she opened the door and slid inside.**

'Now I think about it, you did look a little stunned,' Neville laughed.

**Professor Sprout was standing behind a trestle bench in the centre of the greenhouse. About twenty pairs of different-coloured ear muffs were lying on the bench. When Bella had taken her place between Ron and Hermione, she said, "We'll be repotting Mandrakes today. Now, who can tell me the properties of the Mandrake?"**

**To nobody's surprise, Hermione's hand was first into the air.**

'Did you know the answer, Potter?' Snape asked her. She nodded her head, hiding a little in her hair.

'Don't hide,' George whispered. 'Come on, you little chicken, where's your Gryffindor courage.'

'Same place yours is when your mum yells at you,' Bella whispered back smirking. Fred had overheard this and fell into a silent chuckle.

'Well make you a prankster yet Potter,' George said, his chest still moving silently.

'Bring it on Weasley,' Bella grinned.

**"Mandrake, or Mandragora, is a powerful restorative," said Hermione, sounding as usual as though she had swallowed the textbook. **

Hermione sent a glare at her raven haired best friend, who smiled back.

**"It is used to return people who have been transfigured or cursed to their original state."**

"**Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor," said Professor Sprout. "The Mandrake forms an essential part of most antidotes. It is also, however, dangerous. Who can tell me why?"**

'How about this one, Potter?' McGonagall asked. Bella sighed and nodded again.

**Hermione's hand narrowly missed Bella's glasses as it shot up again.**

'Oh, sorry, Bella,' she said anxiously.

'Don't be,' Ron laughed, 'It would have been hilarious.'

Bella scowled at her best friend.

'No it wouldn't,' she said hotly.

'It kind of would,' Neville added, grinning.

'Neville, you traitor.'

'What, you would off had to have fanned your hands out and search, it would have been hilarious,' Neville said defensively.

"**The cry of the Mandrake is fatal to anyone who hears it," she said promptly.**

"**Precisely. Take another ten points," said Professor Sprout. "Now, the Mandrakes we have here are still very young."**

**She pointed to a row of deep trays as she spoke, and everyone shuffled forward for a better look. A hundred or so tufty little plants, purplish green in colour, were growing there in rows. Bella looked around the room most people were looking at the plants. Bella could tell, they were confused by what Hermione meant by the "cry" of the Mandrake. Except Neville who seemed to eye the plant warily yet excitedly. **

Neville grinned at that.

"**Everyone take a pair of earmuffs," said Professor Sprout.**

**There was a scramble as everyone tried to seize a pair that wasn't pink and fluffy.**

'What about the girls?' Bill said amused.

'Ok not quite everyone, but a lot of people,' Bella amended rolling her eyes.

"**When I tell you to put them on, make sure your ears are completely covered," said Professor Sprout. "When it is safe to remove them, I will give you the thumbs-up. Right — earmuffs on."**

**Bella snapped the earmuffs over her ears. They shut out sound completely. Professor Sprout put the pink, fluffy pair over her own ears, rolled up the sleeves of her robes, grasped one of the tufty plants firmly, and pulled hard.**

**Bella let out a gasp of surprise that no one could hear.**

**Instead of roots, a small, muddy, and extremely ugly baby popped out of the earth. The leaves were growing right out of his head. He had pale green, mottled skin, and was clearly bawling at the top of his lungs.**

'Sweet little fellow,' Luna said dreamily. Percy and Malfoy stared at her for a moment before shaking their heads, and listening again.

**Professor Sprout took a large plant pot from under the table and plunged the Mandrake into it, burying him in dark, damp compost until only the tufted leaves were visible. Professor Sprout dusted off her hands, gave them all the thumbs-up, and removed her own earmuffs.**

"**As our Mandrakes are only seedlings, their cries won't kill yet," she said calmly as though she'd just done nothing more exciting than water a begonia. **

Her staff mates and ex staff mate chuckled at that.

'She always does that,' said Bill smiling, 'you're completely at awe, then she says something as casually as that.'

More chuckling.

**"However, they will knock you out for several hours, and as I'm sure none of you want to miss your first day back,**

'I might go and see a mandrake when we get back at school,' Bella whispered to Ron, who snickered.

**make sure your earmuffs are securely in place while you work. I will attract your attention when it is time to pack up.**

"**Four to a tray — there is a large supply of pots here — compost in the sacks over there — and be careful of the Venemous Tentacula, it's teething."**

**She gave a sharp slap to a spiky, dark red plant as she spoke, making it draw in the long feelers that had been inching sneakily over her shoulder.**

'Can't she give it a dummy or something.' Tonks laughed, Neville beamed happily. He really did love Herbology.

'Good one, Tonks,' Charlie laughed. Remus felt a wave of jealousy.

**Bella, Ron, and Hermione were joined at their tray by a curly-haired Hufflepuff boy Bella knew by sight but had never spoken to.**

"**Justin Finch-Fletchley," he said brightly, shaking Bella by the hand. "Know who you are, of course, the famous Bella Potter… And you're Hermione Granger — always top in everything" (Hermione beamed as she had her hand shaken too) "— and Ron Weasley. Wasn't that your flying car?"**

'That's good,' said Mr Weasley smiling. 'He didn't leave anyone out.'

**Ron didn't smile. The Howler was obviously still on his mind.**

**"That Lockhart's something, isn't he?" said Justin happily as they began filling their plant pots with dragon dung compost. "Awfully brave chap. Have you read his books? I'd have died of fear if I'd been cornered in a telephone booth by a werewolf, **

'So would he,' muttered the trio, and the teachers who were there.

**but he stayed cool and — zap — just fantastic.**

"**My name was down for Eton, you know. I can't tell you how glad I am I came here instead. Of course, Mother was slightly disappointed, but since I made her read Lockhart's books I think she's begun to see how useful it'll be to have a fully trained wizard in the family…"**

'That doesn't really sound very supportive,' Luna said, frowning slightly.

**After that they didn't have much chance to talk. Their earmuffs were back on and they needed to concentrate on the Mandrakes. Professor Sprout had made it look extremely easy, but it wasn't. The Mandrakes didn't like coming out of the earth, but didn't seem to want to go back into it either. They squirmed, kicked, flailed their sharp little fists, and gnashed their teeth; Bella spent ten whole minutes trying to squash a particularly fat one into a pot.**

Everyone laughed at the green eyed girl.

**By the end of the class, Bella, like everyone else, was sweaty, aching, and covered in earth. **

'Bless them,' laughed Tonks. The four classmates frowned at her.

**Everyone traipsed back to the castle for a quick wash and then the Gryffindors hurried off to Transfiguration.**

**Professor McGonagall's classes were always fairly easy work, but, today was going to be especially difficult for most people. Everything Bella had learned last year, she was going to pretend seem like it had leaked out of her head during the summer. **

The teachers, Mr and Mrs Weasley, Remus and Sirius all frowned. Bella rolled her eyes.

'Stop rolling your eyes, Bells.' George whispered in her ear. 'They only do it because they care.'

'I know,' she whispered back.

**She was supposed to be turning a beetle into a button, but all she managed to do was give her beetle a lot of exercise as it scuttled over the desktop avoiding her wand.**

The twins chuckled at that.

**Ron was having far worse problems. **

'What's happening with Ron?' Charlie asked curiously, expecting something funny.

'My wand is broken so it was hard to use that year.' Ron said, with a look at Bella.

**He had patched up his wand with some borrowed Spellotape, but it seemed to be damaged beyond repair. It kept crackling and sparking at odd moments, and every time Ron tried to transfigure his beetle it engulfed him in thick gray smoke that smelled of rotten eggs. **

'Why didn't you tell us,' said Mrs Weasley, 'we would have got you another wand.'

Ron and Bella shared another look.

'It didn't matter it was only second year,' Ron muttered.

**Unable to see what he was doing, Ron accidentally squashed his beetle with his elbow and had to ask for a new one. Professor McGonagall wasn't pleased. Bella was relieved to hear the lunch bell. Her brain felt like a wrung sponge. Everyone filed out of the classroom except her and Ron, who was whacking his wand furiously on the desk.**

'Yeah, cause that's going to help.' Ginny laughed.

"**Stupid — useless — thing —"**

"**Write home for another one," Bella suggested as the wand let off a volley of bangs like a firecracker.**

'Yes listen to Bella,' said Mr Weasley, 'why didn't you listen to her?' Bella and Ron shared another look.

'Why do you keep doing that?' Remus said suspiciously.

Bella hesitated then said. 'It turns out to be very useful,' she said slowly.

'What - ?'

'Trust her,' said Ron, 'it comes in useful.'

They let it go... for now.

"**Oh, yeah, and get another Howler back," said Ron, stuffing the now hissing wand into his bag.**

"'**It's your own fault your wand got snapped — '"**

'We wouldn't have –'

'Then its good I didn't listen to you,' Ron said to Bella. She nodded firmly.

The rest of the group where burning with curiosity.

'You want to read about my life,' Bella said, smirking now. 'Then, you get to know what I knew at the time.' She said

'You're mean,' Sirius whined.

'Look who's talking,' Bella laughed.

**They went down to lunch, where Ron's mood was not improved by Hermione's showing them the handful of perfect coat buttons she had produced in Transfiguration.**

**"What've we got this afternoon?" said Bella, hastily changing the subject.**

'Peace maker are we?' Bill said smiling.

'Yep,' Bella sighed.

"**Defence Against the Dark Arts," said Hermione at once.**

"**Why," demanded Ron, seizing her schedule, "have you outlined all Lockhart's lessons in little hearts?"**

All of the Weasley boys, Neville and Malfoy burst out into laugher, as Hermione went crimson.

'Alright, alright,' Dumbledore looking amused. 'That will do.'

**Hermione snatched the schedule back, blushing furiously.**

'Kind of like now,' Fred said laughing. Bella clipped him over the head.

'Ow!'

'Stop it,' Bella said sternly, then she leaned in, 'or we'll use you for stunning practice in DA,' she whispered threateningly. George snickered at his twin.

'And you,' she whispered in the same tone, 'I'll "mix" you two up if you continue.' Both twins feel silent.

'It's ok Hermione,' she said normally, 'they aren't going to bother you over Lockhart.'

'That means other things,' said Fred more cheerfully.

'I don't think you could resist everything, you might think it is worth it.' Bella sighed. The twins looked at each other grinning evilly, they were going to have fun.

**They finished lunch and went outside into the overcast courtyard. Hermione sat down on a stone step and buried her nose in Voyages with Vampires again. Bella and Ron stood talking about Quidditch for several minutes before Bella became aware that she was being closely watched. **

Bella grimaced, Ron started to laugh.

'It wasn't funny!' she hissed at him. Ron tried and failed to keep a straight face.

'Git,'

'It was pretty funny,' Hermione said smiling.

'It wasn't, it was horrible,' she said angrily, her cheeks starting to burn as she remembered.

'What happened?' Sirius asked.

'Her first little stalker and Lockhart see's it,' said Ron, still trying not to laugh.

'This is going to be good,' said Sirius, rubbing his hand together eagerly.

'Stupid mutt,' Bella grumbled making George snicker.

**Looking up, she saw the very small, mousy-haired boy she'd seen trying on the Sorting Hat last night staring at Bella as though transfixed. He was clutching what looked like an ordinary Muggle camera, and the moment Bella looked at him, he went bright red.**

'Aw, someone has a crush,' Sirius cooed.

'Shut up you mangy mutt,' Bella said embarrassed, this just made him chuckle. Remus was looking very amused now as well.

"**All right, Bella? I'm — I'm Colin Creevey," he said breathlessly, taking a tentative step forward. "I'm in Gryffindor, too. D'you think — would it be all right if — can I have a picture?" he said, raising the camera hopefully.**

'That's sweet,' Charlie snickered.

'Watch it, Weasley,' Bella said dangerously.

"**A picture?" Bella repeated blankly.**

The whole room started laughing. Bella could feel George's body shaking with laughter.

'Git,' she said grumpily, elbowing him.

'Sorry, but I can just see it,' he said still laughing.

"**So I can prove I've met you," said Colin Creevey eagerly, edging further forward. "I know all about you. Everyone's told me. About how you survived when You-Know-Who tried to kill you and how he disappeared and everything and how you've still got a lightning scar on your forehead" (his eyes raked Bella's hairline)**

'Get used to that,' Bella sighed to herself.

"**and a boy in my dormitory said if I develop the film in the right potion, the pictures'll move." **

'Aw it's sweet to see him so excited about magic, and meeting you.' Mr Weasley chuckled slightly. Bella's face was getting redder by the minute.

Ron noticed and snorted.

**Colin drew a great shuddering breath of excitement and said, "It's amazing here, isn't it? I never knew all the odd stuff I could do was magic till I got the letter from Hogwarts. My dad's a milkman, he couldn't believe it either. So I'm taking loads of pictures to send home to him. And it'd be really good if I had one of you" — he looked imploringly at Bella — "maybe your friend could take it and I could stand next to you? And then, could you sign it?"**

'Bless him,' Mrs Weasley said smiling.

"**Signed photos? You're giving out signed photos, Potter?"**

Bella's face went darker and she was glaring at Malfoy.

'You, if you hadn't –'

'Oh, I know, Potter,' he snickered. 'It turned out, so much better than I thought.'

**Loud and scathing, Draco Malfoy's voice echoed around the courtyard. He had stopped right behind Colin, flanked, as he always was at Hogwarts, by his large and thuggish cronies, Crabbe and Goyle.**

"**Everyone line up!" Malfoy roared to the crowd. "Bella Potter's giving out signed photos!"**

Bella went beetroot, glaring at Malfoy.

'I hate you,' she said angrily.

'That Potter is obvious,' he drawled.

"**No, I'm not," said Bella angrily, her fists clenching. "Shut up, Malfoy."**

"**You're just jealous," piped up Colin, whose entire body was about as thick as Crabbe's neck.**

Ron snorted at that. People looked at him.

'What? It's true,' he said.

"**Jealous?" said Malfoy, who didn't need to shout anymore: half the courtyard was listening in. "Of what? I don't want a foul scar right across my head, thanks. I don't think getting your head cut open makes you that special, myself."**

The Weasley boys glared at Malfoy who shrank back besides his godfather.

**Crabbe and Goyle were sniggering stupidly.**

"**Eat slugs, Malfoy," said Ron angrily. Crabbe stopped laughing and started rubbing his knuckles in a menacing way.**

"**Be careful, Weasley," sneered Malfoy. "You don't want to start any trouble or your Mummy'll have to come and take you away from school." He put on a shrill, piercing voice. "'If you put another toe out of line'—"**

'That was pathetic by the way.' Bella added casually.

'Watch it Potter,' he growled menacingly.

'Crabbe and Goyle aren't here Malfoy' Ron said happily. 'So, shut up' he advised.

'You're out numbered,' Fred added. Draco scowled at the two Weasley's then fell silent.

**A knot of Slytherin fifth-years nearby laughed loudly at this.**

'Always Slytherins,' Tonks said shaking her head.

"**Weasley would like a signed photo, Potter," smirked Malfoy. "It'd be worth more than his family's whole house —"**

The Weasley children all glared at him, even Percy.

'It's true... thought not at the moment, scarhead's cracked up these days.' He said with a smirk.

Ron went to stand up but Hermione grabbed his arm.

'Malfoy,' Bella said. 'Do us all a favour... and shut up, I'd rather my friends weren't trialled for murder,' she said coolly. 'Ron, relax it's only Malfoy.' She added trying to calm her friend.

'You two as well,' she whispered to the twins as she could see Fred loathing expression.

**Ron whipped out his Spellotaped wand,**

'Careful, Weasley,' growled Mad-Eye. 'Don't let him get to you.'

**but Hermione shut Voyages with Vampires with a snap and whispered, "Look out!"**

**"What's all this, what's all this?" **

'Ah a teacher,' said Sirius grinning, 'can I guess which one?'

Remus' lip twitched slightly, he felt sorry for Bella... but he couldn't help but laugh as he imagined her face, just like in the paper from the book shop.

**Gilderoy Lockhart was striding toward them, his turquoise robes swirling behind him. "Who's giving out signed photos?"**

**Bella started to speak but she was cut short as Lockhart flung an arm around her shoulders and thundered jovially, "Shouldn't have asked! We meet again, Bella!"**

'Argh he thinks you're doing it of your own free will.' Mr Weasley said sympathetically. Bella nodded mumbling under her breath.

**Pinned to Lockhart's side and burning with humiliation,**

'Like now?' Neville said grinning. Bella glared at him, but she was still on George's lap so it wasn't really that scary.

**Bella saw Malfoy slide smirking back into the crowd.**

'Stupid ferret,' she grumbled under her breath.

"**Come on then, Mr. Creevey," said Lockhart, beaming at Colin. "A double portrait, can't do better than that, and we'll both sign it for you." **

'That's what you think,' Bella mumbled, she never did nor would she ever sign any photo's especially _that_ one.

**Lockhart placed his hands on Bella's shoulder. **

**Colin fumbled for his camera. Bella tried to scramble out of the way,**

'Aw how cute,' George snickered, earning another elbow to his rib. 'Worth it,' he whispered in her ear.

**but Lockhart kept her close to his side. Colin took the picture as the bell rang behind them, signalling the start of afternoon classes.**

"**Off you go, move along there," Lockhart called to the crowd, and he set off back to the castle with Bella, who was wishing she knew a good Vanishing Spell,**

Her classmates and 'family' chuckled.

**still clasped to his side.**

"**A word to the wise, Bella," said Lockhart paternally as they entered the building through a side door. "I covered up for you back there with young Creevey — if he was photographing me, too, your schoolmates won't think you're setting yourself up so much…"**

**Deaf to Bella's stammers,**

'Of course.' Neville said still grinning as he remembered her face. She had looked so sweet.

**Lockhart swept her down a corridor lined with staring students and up a staircase.**

"**Let me just say that handing out signed pictures at this stage of your career isn't sensible — looks a tad bigheaded, Bella, to be frank. There may well come a time when, like me, you'll need to keep a stack handy wherever you go, but" — he gave a little chortle — "I don't think you're quite there yet."**

'Of course she isn't,' said McGonagall dryly.

**They had reached Lockhart's classroom and he let Bella go at last. Bella yanked her robes straight and headed for a seat at the very back of the class,**

More laughter.

'Ha ha yes it's all hysterical,' Bella said sarcastically.

Sirius grinned at her.

**where she busied herself with piling all seven of Lockhart's books in front of her, so that she could avoid looking at the real thing.**

'I suppose they are slightly better,' Tonks admitted still trying to stop smiling. She knew if it was her she would have hated it.

**The rest of the class came clattering in, and Ron and Hermione sat down on either side of Bella.**

"**You could've fried an egg on your face" said Ron still laughing under his breath.**

'You could now,' said Ron.

**"You'd better hope Creevey doesn't meet Ginny, or they'll be starting a Bella Potter fan club."**

'Shut up!' snapped Ginny.

**"Shut up," snapped Bella.**

Ginny laughed. At least she wasn't like that with Bella now, she would class Bella as her sister slash friend.

**The last thing she needed was for Lockhart to hear the phrase "Bella Potter fan club"**

'Oh damn,' said Fred, 'why didn't we think of that George.' He said.

'Because we value our lives Fred,' George answered seriously.

'Wise choice,' Bella said darkly.

**When the whole class was seated, Lockhart cleared his throat loudly and silence fell. He reached forward, picked up Neville Longbottom's copy of Travels with Trolls, and held it up to show his own, winking portrait on the front.**

"**Me," he said, pointing at it and winking as well. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defence League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award but I don't talk about that.**

'It's what he mentioned most,' said Malfoy in disgust.

'Probably cause it's the only thing he managed to get himself,' Bella grumbled quietly, Remus of course heard and wondered slightly what she meant.

**I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!"**

**He waited for them to laugh; a few people smiled weakly.**

'Mostly girls,' Ron pointed out, hating that Hermione was one of them.

"**I see you've all bought a complete set of my books — well done. I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about — just to check how well you've read them, how much you've taken in —"**

Everyone who had him as a teacher groaned, remembering the stupid questions on the test.

**When he had handed out the test papers he returned to the front of the class and said, "You have thirty minutes — start —now!"**

**Bella looked down at her paper and read:**

**1. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favourite colour?**

'Oh, for goodness sake,' McGonagall huffed furiously.

**2. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?**

**3. What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?**

**On and on it went, over three sides of paper, right down to:**

**54. When is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday, and what would his ideal gift be?**

'Pathetic,' McGonagall said looking furious.

**Half an hour later, Lockhart collected the papers and rifled through them in front of the class.**

"**Tut, tut — hardly any of you remembered that my favourite colour is lilac.**

'Oh yes because that is exactly what Defence Against the Dark Arts is about.' Tonks said sarcastically.

'Constant Vigilance!' Mad eye roared.

**I say so in Year with the Yeti. And a few of you need to read Wanderings with Werewolves more carefully — I clearly state in chapter twelve that my ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all magic and non-magic peoples — though I wouldn't say no to a large bottle of Ogdeds Old Firewhisky!"**

Snape scowled at the book.

'Ridiculous,' scoffed Mrs Weasley.

**He gave them another roguish wink. Ron was now staring at Lockhart with an expression of disbelief on his face; Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were sitting in front, were shaking with silent laughter. Hermione, on the other hand, was listening to Lockhart with rapt attention and gave a start when he mentioned her name.**

The twins smirked, and were about to open their mouths when Bella nudged George in the rib gently to remind him what she had said.

**"… but Miss Hermione Granger knew my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my own range of hair-care potions — good girl! In fact" — he flipped her paper over — "full marks! Where is Miss Hermione Granger?"**

**Hermione raised a trembling hand.**

"**Excellent!" beamed Lockhart. "Quite excellent! Take ten points for Gryffindor! And so — to business —"**

**He bent down behind his desk and lifted a large, covered cage onto it.**

Neville groaned, remembering.

"**Now — be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizard kind! You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room.**

'I doubt that somehow,' said Hermione dryly.

'Might get some new ones,' Bella said 'Like a fear of a name that is actually terrifying, if he is coming.'

'Yeah, he'll talk you to death,' Ron chortled.

**Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. All I ask is that you remain calm."**

'What's this dunderhead brought in to class,' Snape said

'Tricky little blighters,' said Hermione smirking slightly. Those who were there even Neville snorted at that.

**In spite of herself, Bella leaned around her pile of books for a better look at the cage. Lockhart placed a hand on the cover. Dean and Seamus had stopped laughing now. Neville was cowering in his front row seat.**

'In the end I had a right to,' he said as people started to look at him.

"**I must ask you not to scream," said Lockhart in a low voice. "It might provoke them."**

**As the whole class held its breath, Lockhart whipped off the cover.**

"**Yes," he said dramatically. "Freshly caught Cornish pixies."**

The Tonks and Sirius burst out into a fit of laughter rolling about the floor.

**Seamus Finnigan couldn't control himself. He let out a snort of laughter that even Lockhart couldn't mistake for a scream of terror.**

"**Yes?" He smiled at Seamus.**

"**Well, they're not — they're not very —dangerous, are they?" Seamus choked.**

"**Don't be so sure!" said Lockhart, waggling a finger annoyingly at Seamus. "Devilish tricky little blighters they can be!"**

'Hence your joke before,' Dumbledore said to the children smiling.

**The pixies were electric blue and about eight inches high, with pointed faces and voices so shrill it was like listening to a lot of budgies arguing. The moment the cover had been removed, they had started jabbering and rocketing around, rattling the bars and making bizarre faces at the people nearest them.**

'So a bit like midgets blue Fred and George's,' Bella said innocently. 'I can see why he classed them as dangerous.' All the kids laughed at Bella's joke, while the twins gasped dramatically and said:

'Why thank you so much!'

"**Right, then," Lockhart said loudly. "Let's see what you make of them!" And he opened the cage.**

**It was pandemonium. The pixies shot in every direction like rockets. Two of them seized Neville by the ears and lifted him into the air.**

McGonagall sighed no wonder the boy had no confidence.

**Several shot straight through the window, showering the back row with broken glass. The rest proceeded to wreck the classroom more effectively than a rampaging rhino. They grabbed ink bottles and sprayed the class with them, shredded books and papers, tore pictures from the walls, up-ended the waste basket, grabbed bags and books and threw them out of the smashed window; within minutes, half the class was sheltering under desks and Neville was swinging from the iron chandelier in the ceiling.**

'Poor Neville,' Mrs Weasley said quietly. Malfoy snorted. Trust Longbottom to be the one to be on the chandelier.

"**Come on now — round them up, round them up, they're only pixies," Lockhart shouted.**

**He rolled up his sleeves, brandished his wand, and bellowed, "Peskipiksi Pesternomi!"**

Remus stopped reading and looked at the page with a deeply shocked look.

'He actually thought that would work?' he said, looking at the children, who all nodded. Remus shook his head and began to read again.

**It had absolutely no effect; one of the pixies seized his wand and threw it out of the window, too. Lockhart gulped and dived under his own desk, narrowly avoiding being squashed by Neville, who fell a second later as the chandelier gave way.**

'Were you ok?' Mrs Weasley asked him worriedly.

'I was fine, Mrs Weasley.' He said going pink.

**The bell rang and there was a mad rush toward the exit. In the relative calm that followed, Lockhart straightened up, caught sight of Bella, Ron, and Hermione, who were almost at the door, **

'He is going to run for it isn't he?' Snape said. The trio nodded.

**and said, "Well, I'll ask you three to just nip the rest of them back into their cage." He swept past them and shut the door quickly behind him.**

"**Can you believe him?" roared Ron as one of the remaining pixies bit him painfully on the ear.**

'Yes mum it was fine,' Ron said, before Mrs Weasley could form the first word of her question.

"**He just wants to give us some hands-on experience," said Hermione, immobilizing two pixies at once with a clever Freezing Charm and stuffing them back into their cage. **

"**Hands on?" said Bella, who was trying to grab a pixie dancing out of reach with its tongue out. **

Remus frowned as he read the next line.

**Bella thought about doing the same as Hermione, but then she would have to admit to knowing the charm.**

Everyone frowned at that particularly Ron and Hermione.

"**Hermione, he didn't have a clue what he was doing —" **

"**Rubbish," said Hermione. "You've read his books — look at all those amazing things he's done —"**

"**He says he's done," Ron muttered.**

'Ron,'

'I know, maybe we should start taking more noticed with what he comes out with.'

'That's the end of the chapter, said Remus putting the book on his lap.

'Draco would you like to read again?' he asked the blonde teen. Malfoy shrugged and took the book.

"**Mudbloods and Murmurs" **he read.

_**hey thanks for being patient, A levels are evil and my laptop broke so I had to get it fixed luckily my documents were ok though. Thanks again to my Beta MJPotter xxxxxxxxxxxxx**_


	7. Mudbloods and Murmurs

"**Mudbloods and Murmurs"**

'Don't say that word!' Ron growled.

'It's part of the title, Weasel!' Malfoy snapped back.

'This will be the day where he called Hermione,' Bella said, then she paled. Shit! The voice... The basilisk...

'Bella, honey?' Sirius said worriedly, leaning towards her. 'You ok?'

'Fine, I just worked out the murmur, that's all,' she said reassuringly, giving Ron and Hermione a significant glance. Hermione clicked.

'Oh,' she whispered. George squeezed Bella's side comfortingly, though he didn't have a clue what was going on.

**Bella spent a lot of time over the next few days dodging out of sight whenever she saw Gilderoy Lockhart**

Everyone started laughing.

'Glad, that my suffering is entertainment.' Bella huffed.

'It was even funnier to watch,' Ron said, 'her eyes used to widen when she saw him or heard his voice; she moved with incredible speed.' Bella huffed again as others started to laugh.

**coming down a corridor. Harder to avoid was Colin Creevey, who seemed to have memorized Bella's schedule.**

Again everyone started laughing.

'Kids persistent,' Remus chuckled. 'I'll give him that.' Bella pouted crossing her arms in a huff, she could hear George chuckling in her ear.

**Nothing seemed to give Colin a bigger thrill than to say, "All right, Bella?" six or seven times a day and hear, "Hello, Colin," back, however exasperated Bella sounded when she said it.**

Sirius and Ron snickered.

'Oh shut up,' she hissed.

**Hedwig was still angry with Bella about the disastrous car journey**

'That Owl of yours has some serious attitude,' Tonks said smiling.

**and Ron's wand was still malfunctioning, surpassing itself on Friday morning by shooting out of Ron's hand in Charms and hitting tiny old Professor Flitwick squarely between the eyes, creating a large, throbbing green boil where it had struck. **

Bella looked at Ron and he grinned, the boys and Bella had laughed about that all night.

**So with one thing and another, Bella was quite glad to reach the weekend. She, Ron, and Hermione were planning to visit Hagrid on Saturday morning.**

'That'll be nice,' Sirius said cheerfully, 'go see our jolly old friend.'

Bella started to grumble about boys dorms and psycho captains. George chuckled at her; while Remus looked at her oddly. Why is she bothered about that?

**Bella, however, was shaken awake several hours earlier than she would have liked by Oliver Wood,**

Sirius chuckled, 'Aw, what time was it 8?'

'Nope,' said the twins they felt tired just thinking about it.

**Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team.**

"**Whassamatter?" said Bella groggily.**

"**Quidditch practice!" said Wood. "Come on!"**

**Bella squinted at the window. There was a thin mist hanging across the pink-and-gold sky.**

Sirius let out a bark like laugh, 'Oh, God, that's worse than your dad, never thought I would see the day.' he said wiping his eyes.

**Now that she was awake, she couldn't understand how she could have slept through the racket the birds were making.**

'In other words, you wouldn't have fallen back to sleep.' Remus said chuckling.

'No, I didn't say that.' Bella grinned. 'It says how, not couldn't.'

"**Oliver," Bella croaked. "It's the crack of dawn."**

"**Exactly," said Wood. He was a tall and burly sixth year and, at the moment, his eyes were gleaming with a crazed enthusiasm.**

All the Quidditch nuts laughed, McGonagall was trying to stop herself, she knew how... keen, no that wasn't the right word, obsessive? Yes that would have to do. Wood could be.

**"It's part of our new training program. Come on, grab your broom, and let's go," said Wood heartily. "None of the other teams have started training yet; we're going to be first off the mark this year —"**

**Yawning and shivering slightly, Bella climbed out of bed and tried to find her Quidditch robes.**

"**Good girl," said Wood. "Meet you on the field in fifteen minutes."**

**Once he left, Bella started to grumble about how she wished she was in the girl's dorm so that he couldn't have found her. **

'How did he get Angelina and everyone?'

'He owled them and told the owls to not leave them alone.' Fred explained.

**When she'd found her scarlet team robes and pulled on her cloak for warmth, Bella scribbled a note to Ron explaining where she'd gone**

'That was considerate,' Tonks said smiling.

**and went down the spiral staircase to the common room, her Nimbus Two Thousand on her shoulder. She had just reached the portrait hole when there was a clatter behind her and Colin Creevey**

Sirius and Ron started to laugh.

**came dashing down the spiral staircase, his camera swinging madly around his neck and something clutched in his hand.**

Bella groaned remembering the photo.

"**I heard someone saying your name on the stairs, Bella! Look what I've got here! I've had it developed, I wanted to show you —"**

**Bella looked bemusedly at the photograph Colin was brandishing under her nose.**

**A moving, black-and-white Lockhart was tugging hard on an arm Bella recognised as her own. She was pleased to see that her photographic self was putting up a good fight and refusing to be dragged into view.**

Ron, Neville, Sirius burst out into laughter, Remus remembering the Prophet couldn't help but chuckle.

**As Bella watched, Lockhart gave up and slumped, panting, against the white edge of the picture.**

'Pathetic,' Ron grumbled.

"**Will you sign it?" said Colin eagerly.**

"**No," said Bella flatly,**

'Aw Bella!' whined Fred.

'Don't not sign it!' whined George.

'He loves you!' Fred said. Bella scowled at them whacking both identical red heads hard at the same time.

'Ouch!' they yelled together.

'Gits,' Bella muttered darkly.

**glancing around to check that the room was really deserted. "Sorry, Colin, I'm in a hurry — Quidditch practice —"**

**She climbed through the portrait hole.**

"**Oh, wow! Wait for me! I've never watched a Quidditch game before!"**

**Colin scrambled through the hole after her.**

'Persistent' smirked Sirius

"**It'll be really boring," **

'Isabella Potter,' gasped the twins.

'Quidditch is breathing,' Fred said.

'How dare you tarnish it's – ouch – violent.'

'Idiots leave me alone, or it will be the same fate as if you pick on Hermione.' she threatened.

**Bella said quickly, but Colin ignored her, his face shining with excitement.**

"**You were the youngest House player in a hundred years, weren't you, Bella? Weren't you?" said Colin, trotting alongside her. "You must be brilliant. I've never flown. Is it easy? Is that your own broom? Is that the best one there is?"**

**Bella didn't know how to get rid of him. It was like having an extremely talkative shadow.**

Sirius chuckled again.

"**I don't really understand Quidditch," said Colin breathlessly. "Is it true there are four balls? And two of them fly around trying to knock people off their brooms?"**

"**Yes," said Bella heavily, resigned to explaining the complicated rules of Quidditch. "They're called Bludgers. There are two Beaters on each team who carry clubs to beat the Bludgers away from their side. Fred and George Weasley are the Gryffindor Beaters."**

The mentioned two bowed, George forced Bella to bow with him.

'Get off me you idiot,' she laughed.

"**And what are the other balls for?" Colin asked, tripping down a couple of steps because he was gazing open-mouthed at Bella.**

"**Well, the Quaffle — that's the biggish red one — is the one that scores goals. Three Chasers on each team throw the Quaffle to each other and try and get it through the goal posts at the end of the pitch — they're three long poles with hoops on the end."**

"**And the fourth ball —"**

"— **is the Golden Snitch," said Bella, "and it's very small, very fast, and difficult to catch. But that's what the Seeker's got to do, because a game of Quidditch doesn't end until the Snitch has been caught. And whichever team's Seeker gets the Snitch earns their team an extra hundred and fifty points."**

"**And you're the Gryffindor Seeker, aren't you?" said Colin in awe.**

'Aw bless him,' Remus laughed remembering the boy he taught.

"**Yes," said Bella as they left the castle and started across the dew-drenched grass. "And there's the Keeper, too. He guards the goal posts. That's it, really."**

**But Colin didn't stop questioning Bella all the way down the sloping lawns to the Quidditch field, and Bella only shook him off when she reached the changing rooms; Colin called after her in a piping voice, "I'll go and get a good seat, Bella!" and hurried off to the stands.**

Ron laughed.

'There was no one else their till later,'

**The rest of the Gryffindor team were already in the changing room. Wood was the only person who looked truly awake. **

'Obviously,' muttered the twins and Bella.

**Fred and George Weasley were sitting, puffy-eyed and tousle haired,**

'Aw how sweet,' cooed Bella, pinching George's cheek. 'You both looked so cute,'

'Geroff,' George grumbled grabbing her wrist and keeping it on her lap, Bella pouted as he was too strong to fight of properly.

**next to fourth year Alicia Spinnet, **

Now that everyone was paying attention to the book Fred looked at George.

Fred: Bet you loved that!

George: Shut up!

Fred: Did you?

George: Course, now shut up!

**who seemed to be nodding off against the wall behind her. Her fellow Chasers, Katie Bell and Angelina Johnson, were yawning side by side opposite them.**

"**There you are, Bella, what kept you?" said Wood briskly.**

'A fanboy,' Fred snorted, earning a whack of Bella.

**"Now, I wanted a quick talk with you all before we actually get onto the field, because I spent the summer devising a whole new training program, which I really think will make all the difference…"**

**Wood was holding up a large diagram of a Quidditch field, on which were drawn many lines, arrows, and crosses in different coloured inks.**

Sirius raised his eyebrows this kid was nuts.

**He took out his wand, tapped the board, and the arrows began to wiggle over the diagram like caterpillars. As Wood launched into a speech about his new tactics, Fred's head drooped right onto Alicia Spinnet's shoulder and he began to snore.**

Ron laughed at that.

**The first board took nearly twenty minutes to explain, but there was another board under that, and a third under that one. Bella sank into a stupor as Wood droned on and on.**

"**So," said Wood, at long last, jerking Bella from a wistful fantasy about what she could be eating for breakfast at this very moment up at the castle.**

'You sure you're not Ron Polyjuiced as Bella,' Charlie teased.

'Possible,' said Bill.

'Oi!'

'I thought all Weasley stomachs were pits?' Bella asked curiously.

'They are but Ron's is worse than all of us.' Charlie said grinning.

'Though you are a close second,' Mrs Weasley said scowling at her second son.

**"Is that clear? Any questions?"**

"**I've got a question, Oliver," said George, who had woken with a start. "Why couldn't you have told us all this yesterday when we were awake?"**

Everyone laughed.

**Wood wasn't pleased.**

"**Now, listen here, you lot," he said, glowering at them all. "We should have won the Quidditch cup last year. We're easily the best team. But unfortunately — owing to circumstances beyond our control —"**

**Bella shifted guiltily in her seat. She had been unconscious in the hospital wing for the final match of the previous year, **

Hermione looked at Bella furiously and walked over to where Bella and George where sitting.

WHACK

'Ow Hermione!' yelled Bella but she continued.

'You ... stupid ... idiotic ... selfless ... over guilty ... noble ... git!' she screeched sounding a bit like a banshee. She hit her with each word wherever she could reach (which was a lot, as Bella was trapped on Georges lap).

'I thought this years ago Hermione!' Bella said as she tried to stop her attack.

'Hermione you hit me there,' George complained, helping Bella fight off her attacker.

Hermione huffed and sat back in her own seat, glaring at Bella with all her might.

**meaning that Gryffindor had been a player short and had suffered their worst defeat in three hundred years.**

'Can't believe you were blaming yourself you idiot,' George whispered in her ear.

'Piss off,' she whispered back, making him snort.

**Wood took a moment to regain control of himself. Their last defeat was clearly still torturing him.**

Bella, McGonagall, Fred and George rolled their eyes fondly.

"**So this year, we train harder than ever before… Okay, let's go and put our new theories into practice!" Wood shouted, seizing his broomstick and leading the way out of the locker rooms. Stiff-legged and still yawning, his team followed.**

**They had been in the locker room so long that the sun was up completely now, although remnants of mist hung over the grass in the stadium. As Bella walked onto the field, she saw Ron and Hermione sitting in the stands.**

"**Aren't you finished yet?" called Ron incredulously.**

'No weren't you listening,' Charlie laughed.

'Ron scowled. 'I didn't have this last time.'

'Still it's Wood,'

"**Haven't even started," said Bella, looking jealously at the toast and marmalade Ron and Hermione had brought out of the Great Hall.**

'Sorry,' they both apologised.

'You're fine,' Bella giggled.

**"Wood's been teaching us new moves."**

**She mounted her broomstick and kicked at the ground, soaring up into the air. The cool morning air whipped her face, waking her far more effectively than Wood's long talk. It felt wonderful to be back on the Quidditch field. She soared right around the stadium at full speed, racing Fred and George.**

The three laughed.

"**What's that funny clicking noise?" called Fred as they hurtled around the corner.**

**Bella looked into the stands. Colin was sitting in one of the highest seats, his camera raised, taking picture after picture, the sound strangely magnified in the deserted stadium.**

"**Look this way, Bella! This way!" he cried shrilly.**

"**Who's that?" said Fred.**

"**No idea," Bella lied, putting on a spurt of speed that took her as far away as possible from Colin.**

Sirius snorted.

'Shut it mutt!' Bella growled over to him, but this only made him laugh harder.

"**What's going on?" said Wood, frowning, as he skimmed through the air toward them. "Why's that first year taking pictures? I don't like it. He could be a Slytherin spy, trying to find out about our new training program."**

"**He's in Gryffindor," said Bella quickly.**

'Aw you still defend him.'

"**And the Slytherins don't need a spy, Oliver," said George.**

"**What makes you say that?" said Wood testily **

"**Because they're here in person," said George, pointing.**

Bella and Hermione sighed; they were so innocent back then.

**Several people in green robes were walking onto the field, broomsticks in their hands.**

"**I don't believe it!" Wood hissed in outrage. "I booked the field for today! We'll see about this!"**

**Wood shot toward the ground, landing rather harder than he meant to in his anger, staggering slightly as he dismounted. Bella, Fred, and George followed.**

"**Flint!" Wood bellowed at the Slytherin Captain. "This is our practice time! We got up specially! You can clear off now!"**

**Marcus Flint was even larger than Wood.**

'Wood wasn't that tall,' Fred argued.

'He was fairly tall especially to me then,' Bella said.

'Yeah, but everyone even some first years where tall to you.' George snickered, wincing at the end as Bella elbowed him hard in the chest.

'Git,'

'Some still are,' Fred said winking at her. Bella growled.

'That's too far I mean there is one kid but he is like the Dean and Ron of his year.' She protested.

'Wait,' Sirius said grinning. 'There is a kid in first year taller –'

'Same height!' Bella said over him loudly.

Everyone burst into laughter.

Bella crossed her arms and sat huffily on George's lap.

**He had a look of trollish cunning on his face as he replied, "Plenty of room for all of us, Wood."**

**Angelina, Alicia, and Katie had come over, too. There were no girls on the Slytherin team, who stood shoulder to shoulder, facing the Gryffindors, leering to a man.**

'Sexist,' Ginny growled angrily. Malfoy shrugged, why would he care what a blood traitor thinks?

"**But I booked the field!" said Wood, positively spitting with rage. "I booked it!"**

"**Ah," said Flint. "But I've got a specially signed note here from Professor Snape. **

Sirius groaned.

'I didn't do that,' Snape said slowly, 'I said no, Draco,' Snape was looking very angry now. 'You faked my signature Draco?' he said silkily, the Gryffindors were feeling slightly sorry for Malfoy's new fate, all besides Ron and Bella remembering what he says next.

**'I, Professor S. Snape, give the Slytherin team permission to practice today on the Quidditch field owing to the need to train their new Seeker'."**

"**You've got a new Seeker?" said Wood, distracted. "Where?"**

**And from behind the six large figures before them came a seventh, smaller boy, smirking all over his pale, pointed face. It was Draco Malfoy.**

Malfoy smirked

"**Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's son?" said Fred, looking at Malfoy with dislike.**

'Good lad,' Bill said nodding to his younger brother.

"**Funny you should mention Draco's father," said Flint as the whole Slytherin team smiled still more broadly.**

'Bribed them by any chance?' Tonks said raising an eyebrow.

Malfoy's cheeks went pink.

**"Let me show you the generous gift he's made to the Slytherin team."**

'Thought so,' Tonks said smugly.

**All seven of them held out their broomsticks. Seven highly polished, brand-new handles and seven sets of fine gold lettering spelling the words Nimbus Two Thousand and One gleamed under the Gryffindors' noses in the early morning sun.**

"**Very latest model. Only came out last month," said Flint carelessly, flicking a speck of dust from the end of his own. "I believe it outstrips the old Two Thousand series by a considerable amount. As for the old Cleansweeps" — he smiled nastily at Fred and George, who were both clutching Cleansweep Fives —" sweeps the board with them."**

'We have talent,' said Fred.

'We don't need ferrets buying their way in.' said George, getting a sneer in return.

**None of the Gryffindor team could think of anything to say for a moment. Malfoy was smirking so broadly his cold eyes were reduced to slits.**

"**Oh, look," said Flint. "A field invasion."**

**Ron and Hermione were crossing the grass to see what was going on.**

"**What's happening?" Ron asked Bella. "Why aren't you playing? And what's he doing here?"**

**He was looking at Malfoy, taking in his Slytherin Quidditch robes.**

"**I'm the new Slytherin Seeker, Weasley," said Malfoy, smugly. "Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father's bought our team."**

**Ron gaped, open-mouthed, at the seven superb broomsticks in front of him.**

Ron's ears went red.

"**Good, aren't they?" said Malfoy smoothly. "But perhaps the Gryffindor team will be able to raise some gold and get new brooms, too. You could raffle off those Cleansweep Fives; I expect a museum would bid for them."**

'Git,' Bella whispered furiously.

**The Slytherin team howled with laughter.**

"**At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in," said Hermione sharply. "They got in on pure talent."**

'You tell them Hermione.' Sirius said beaming.

**The smug look on Malfoy's face flickered.**

"**No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood," **

Malfoy said this very quietly in the present company.

'Back when we were innocent and didn't know, eh, Hermione?' Bella said quietly.

Snape looked livid that one word had killed his friendship entirely, Malfoy recoiled on the look on his godfather's sallow face.

'That's awful,' Neville said. 'And you two,' he said pointing to Bella and Hermione. 'You two probably won't even know what it means yet.'

'Well, we know now.' Hermione said.

'We hear it often enough,' Bella growled under her breath sending a look as fifthly as that word to Malfoy.

**he spat.**

**Bella knew at once that Malfoy had said something really bad**

'Did you know what it mean?' Sirius said glaring at the young blonde boy. 'Or where you just coping your father?'

'I knew what it meant,' said Malfoy trying to look as small as possible.

**because there was an instant uproar at his words. Flint had to dive in front of Malfoy to stop Fred and George jumping on him,**

Hermione smiled warmly at the twins for sticking up for her. They both nodded at her then glared back at Malfoy.

**Alicia shrieked, "How dare you!" and Ron plunged his hand into his robes, pulled out his wand, yelling, "You'll pay for that one, Malfoy!" and pointed it furiously under Flint's arm at Malfoys face.**

'Ron you have one of the best aims I know,' Bella said smiling. He went red but looked pleased with himself.

**A loud bang echoed around the stadium and a jet of green light shot out of the wrong end of Ron's wand, hitting him in the stomach and sending him reeling backward onto the grass.**

"**Ron! Ron! Are you all right?" squealed Hermione.**

**Ron opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Instead he gave an almighty belch and several slugs dribbled out of his mouth onto his lap.**

Neville pulled a face, he had been under that curse it wasn't pleasant.

Everyone looked disgusted.

**The Slytherin team were paralyzed with laughter. Flint was doubled up, hanging onto his new broomstick for support. Malfoy was on all fours, banging the ground with his fist. **

'Git,' muttered all of the Weasleys and Bella making it very loud enough for everyone to hear.

**The Gryffindors were gathered around Ron, who kept belching large, glistening slugs. Nobody seemed to want to touch him.**

"**We'd better get him to Hagrid's, it's nearest," said Bella to Hermione, who nodded bravely, and the pair of them pulled Ron up by the arms.**

'Thanks for that,' he said to his two friends. 'Unlike those two,' he said scowling at his brother.

"**What happened, Bella? What happened? Is he ill? But you can cure him, can't you?" Colin had run down from his seat and was now dancing alongside them as they left the field. Ron gave a huge heave and more slugs dribbled down his front.**

"**Oooh," said Colin, fascinated and raising his camera. "Can you hold him still, Bella?"**

"**Get out of the way, Colin!" said Bella angrily. She and Hermione supported Ron out of the stadium and across the grounds toward the edge of the forest.**

"**Nearly there, Ron," said Hermione as the gamekeeper's cabin came into view. "You'll be all right in a minute — almost there —"**

**They were within twenty feet of Hagrid's house when the front door opened, but it wasn't Hagrid who emerged. Gilderoy Lockhart, wearing robes of palest mauve today, came striding out.**

Everyone groaned.

'Don't let him see him,' Neville said. 'He'll try and _fix_ him.'

"**Quick, behind here," Bella hissed, dragging Ron behind a nearby bush. Hermione followed, somewhat reluctantly.**

'Thanks for that Bella,' said Ron fake angrily.

'Oh, come on Ron, I didn't want another,_ "Fame is a fickle friend, Bella. Celebrity is as celebrity does remember that"_ besides' she said 'It was probably faster, and he would have tried to cure you himself.' She said grimly. 'And we all know how good he is at healing.'

**"It's a simple matter if you know what you're doing!" Lockhart was saying loudly to Hagrid. "If you need help, you know where I am! I'll let you have a copy of my book. I'm surprised you haven't already got one — I'll sign one tonight and send it over. Well, good-bye!" And he strode away toward the castle.**

**Bella waited until Lockhart was out of sight, then pulled Ron out of the bush and up to Hagrid's front door. They knocked urgently.**

**Hagrid appeared at once, looking very grumpy, but his expression brightened when he saw who it was.**

The three grinned at that.

"**Bin wonderin' when you'd come ter see me — come in, come in — thought you mighta bin Professor Lockhart back again —"**

**Bella and Hermione supported Ron over the threshold into the one-roomed cabin, which had an enormous bed in one corner, a fire crackling merrily in the other. Hagrid didn't seem perturbed by Ron's slug problem, which Bella hastily explained as she lowered Ron into a chair.**

**"This calls** **fer special equipment," plunking a large copper basin in front of him. "Better out than in," he said cheerfully, "Get 'em all up, Ron."**

'Suppose,' Mrs Weasley said worrying.

"**I don't think there's anything to do except wait for it to stop," said Hermione anxiously, watching Ron bend over the basin. "That's a difficult curse to work at the best of times, but with a broken wand —"**

**Hagrid was bustling around making them tea. His boarhound, Fang, was slobbering over Bella.**

'He loves Bella,' Ron said. 'He always goes to her.' Bella smiled, she loved Fang.

'Hey, what can I say? I'm a dog person,' she said grinning at Sirius who snorted.

"**What did Lockhart want with you, Hagrid?" Bella asked, scratching Fang's ears.**

"**Givin' me advice on gettin' kelpies out of a well," growled Hagrid, moving a half-plucked rooster off his scrubbed table and setting down the teapot. "Like I don' know. An' bangin' on about some banshee he banished. If one word of it was true, I'll eat my kettle."**

The trio snorted at that.

'Looks like Hagrid knew from the start.' Ron whispered to Hermione.

**It was most unlike Hagrid to criticize a Hogwarts' teacher, and Bella looked at him in surprise. Hermione, however, said in a voice somewhat higher than usual, "I think you're being a bit unfair. Professor Dumbledore obviously thought he was the best man for the job —"**

'He was the only man for the job,' McGonagall sighed, Dumbledore did to, they knew Lockhart was useless.

**"He was the on'y man for the job," said Hagrid, offering them a plate of treacle fudge, while Ron coughed squelchily into his basin. "An' I mean the on'y one. Gettin' very difficult ter find anyone fer the Dark Arts job. People aren't too keen ter take it on, see. They're startin' ter think it's jinxed. No one's lasted long fer a while now. So tell me," said Hagrid, jerking his head at Ron. "Who was he tryin' ter curse?"**

"**Malfoy called Hermione something — it must've been really bad, because everyone went wild."**

'It was bad,' said the twins together scowling at the boy.

"**It was bad," said Ron hoarsely, emerging over the tabletop looking pale and sweaty. "Malfoy called her 'Mudblood,' Hagrid —"**

**Ron dived out of sight again as a fresh wave of slugs made their appearance. Hagrid looked outraged.**

'That's when I knew it was really, really bad.' Bella said. 'Hagrid would have said it was nothing to worry about otherwise.'

"**He didn'!" he growled at Hermione.**

"**He did," she said. "But I don't know what it means. I could tell it was really rude, of course —"**

**"It's about the most insulting thing he could think of," gasped Ron, coming back up. "Mudblood's a really foul name for someone who is Muggle-born — you know, non-magic parents. There are some wizards — like Malfoy's family — who think they're better than everyone else because they're what people call pure-blood." He gave a small burp, and a single slug fell into his outstretched hand. He threw it into the basin and continued, "I mean, the rest of us know it doesn't make any difference at all.**

Mr Weasley smiled proudly at his son.

**Look at Neville Longbottom — he's pure-blood and he can hardly stand a cauldron the right way up."**

'Ronald Weasley!' yelled Mrs Weasley.

'It's ok Mrs Weasley it's true enough,' he said.

"**An' they haven't invented a spell our Hermione can' do," said Hagrid proudly, making Hermione go a brilliant shade of magenta.**

"**It's a disgusting thing to call someone," said Ron, wiping his sweaty brow with a shaking hand. "Dirty blood, see. Common blood. **

'Does no one else find it odd that Ron is telling Hermione about something.' said Neville smiling.

**It's ridiculous. Most wizards these days are half-blood anyway. If we hadn't married Muggles we'd've died out."**

'It horrible I was meant to marry...' he shuddered 'Bellatrix.'

'No wonder you're so unhinged,' said Bella in a shocked voice.

'Oi!'

Most laughed.

**He retched and ducked out of sight again.**

"**Well, I don' blame yeh fer tryin' ter curse him, Ron," said Hagrid loudly over the thuds of more slugs hitting the basin. "Bu' maybe it was a good thing yer wand backfired. 'Spect Lucius Malfoy would've come marchin' up ter school if yeh'd cursed his son. Least yer not in trouble."**

'True,' muttered Neville

**Bella would have pointed out that trouble didn't come much worse than having slugs pouring out of your mouth, but she couldn't; Hagrid's treacle fudge had cemented her jaws together.**

Everyone laughed at that. Bella pouted, crossing her arms.

**"Bella," said Hagrid abruptly as though struck by a sudden thought. "Gotta bone ter pick with yeh.**

'What you done know,' Neville teased her, but when he saw her annoyed face, he snorted this was going to be good. Ron and Hermione were biting their hands to hold back the laughter as they remembered her horrified face.

Malfoy read the next line rolled his eyes then continued on.

**I've heard you've bin givin' out signed photos. How come I haven't got one?"**

Everyone burst out into laughter Ron, Hermione were on the floor. Everyone else besides the professors were laughing Mad eye and the professors were chuckling. After a few minutes, when everyone finally calmed down.

**Furious,**

That brought another wave of laugher.

**Bella wrenched her teeth apart.**

"**I have not been giving out signed photos," she said hotly. "If Lockhart's still spreading that around —"**

Fred fell onto the floor laughing as did Neville, Ron and Sirius. George would have if he didn't have Bella on his lap.

**But then she saw that Hagrid was laughing.**

"**I'm on'y jokin'," he said, patting Bella genially on the back and sending her face first into the table.**

Ron snorted.

**"I knew yeh hadn't really. I told Lockhart yeh didn' need teh. Yer more famous than him without tryin'."**

"**Bet he didn't like that," said Bella, sitting up and rubbing her chin.**

"**Don' think he did," said Hagrid, his eyes twinkling. "An' then I told him I'd never read one o' his books an' he decided ter go. Treacle fudge, Ron?" he added as Ron reappeared.**

"**No thanks," said Ron weakly. "Better not risk it."**

'Lucky,' Bella grumble.

"**Come an' see what I've bin growin'," said Hagrid as Bella and Hermione finished the last of their tea.**

**In the small vegetable patch behind Hagrid's house were a dozen of the largest pumpkins Bella had ever seen. Each was the size of a large boulder.**

"**Gettin' on well, aren't they?" said Hagrid happily. "Fer the Halloween feast… should be big enough by then."**

"**What've you been feeding them?" said Bella.**

**Hagrid looked over his shoulder to check that they were alone.**

"**Well, I've bin givin' them — you know — a bit o' help —"**

Everyone who knew Hagrid well, smiled.

**Bella noticed Hagrid's flowery pink umbrella leaning against the back wall of the cabin. Bella had had reason to believe before now that this umbrella was not all it looked; in fact, she had the strong impression that Hagrid's old school wand was concealed inside it. Hagrid wasn't supposed to use magic. He had been expelled from Hogwarts in his third year, but Bella had never found out why — any mention of the matter and Hagrid would clear his throat loudly and become mysteriously deaf until the subject was changed.**

'You lot find out don't you,' Bill said rubbing his hands together.

**"An Engorgement Charm, I suppose?" said Hermione, halfway between disapproval and amusement. "Well, you've done a good job on them."**

"**That's what that your sister and that Creevey kid said," said Hagrid, nodding at Ron. "Met 'um jus' yesterday." Hagrid looked sideways at Bella, his beard twitching. "Said they was jus' lookin' round the grounds, but I reckon they especially that Creevey, was hopin' he might run inter someone else at my house." He winked at Bella. "If yeh ask me, he wouldn' say no ter a signed —"**

All the Weasley's started to laugh again. Bella scowled, elbowing George in the ribs.

**"Oh, shut up," said Bella. Ron snorted with laughter and the ground was sprayed with slugs.**

"**Watch it!" Hagrid roared, pulling Ron away from his precious pumpkins.**

**It was nearly lunchtime and as Bella had only had one bit of treacle fudge since dawn, she was keen to go back to school to eat.**

'Don't blame you.'

**They said good-bye to Hagrid and walked back up to the castle, Ron hiccoughing occasionally, bringing up two very small slugs.**

**They had barely set foot in the cool entrance hall when a voice rang out, "There you are, Potter — Weasley." Professor McGonagall was walking toward them, looking stern. "You will both do your detentions this evening."**

Ron and Bella scowled at their professor.

She ignored them.

"**What're we doing, Professor?" said Ron, nervously suppressing a burp.**

"**You will be polishing the silver in the trophy room with Mr. Filch," said Professor McGonagall. "And no magic, Weasley — elbow grease."**

'Sure give him the easy one,' Bella grumbled.

'It's not normally.' Mr Weasley pointed out.

'Yeah, but still,' she complained.

**Ron gulped. Argus Filch, the caretaker, was loathed by every student in the school.**

"**And you, Potter, will be helping Professor Lockhart answer his fan mail," said Professor McGonagall.**

"**Oh n — Professor, can't I go and do the trophy room, too?" said Bella desperately.**

"**Certainly not," said Professor McGonagall, raising her eyebrows. "Professor Lockhart requested you particularly.**

Bella groaned, Sirius had to chuckle at her.

**Eight o'clock sharp, both of you."**

**Bella and Ron slouched into the Great Hall in states of deepest gloom, Hermione behind them, wearing a well-you-did-break-school-rules sort of expression. Bella didn't enjoy her shepherd's pie as much as she'd thought. Both she and Ron felt they'd got the worse deal.**

'I did,' they both said together.

**"Filch'll have me there all night," said Ron heavily. "No magic! There must be about a hundred cups in that room. I'm no good at Muggle cleaning."**

"**I'd swap anytime," said Bella hollowly. "I've had loads of practice with the Dursleys. Answering Lockhart's fan mail… he'll be a nightmare…"**

**Saturday afternoon seemed to melt away, and in what seemed like no time, it was five minutes to eight, and Bella was dragging her feet along the second-floor corridor to Lockhart's office. She gritted her teeth and knocked.**

Remus and Sirius looked at her amused.

**The door flew open at once. Lockhart beamed down at her.**

"**Ah, here's the scallywag!" he said.**

Bella groaned face palming.

'I had repressed this,' Bella moaned into her hand.

"**Come in, Bella, come in —"**

**Shining brightly on the walls by the light of many candles were countless framed photographs of Lockhart. He had even signed a few of them. Another large pile lay on his desk.**

"**You can address the envelopes!" Lockhart told Bella, as though this was a huge treat.**

"**This first one's to Gladys Gudgeon, bless her — huge fan of mine —"**

'Isn't that that women at the hospital he was on about.' Said Ginny.

'Dunno probably,' Bella muttered knowing what was coming next, George have her side a little squeeze.

**The minutes snailed by. Bella let Lockhart's voice wash over her, occasionally saying, "Mmm" and "Right" and "Yeah." Now and then she caught a phrase like, "Fame's a fickle friend, Bella," or "Celebrity is as celebrity does, remember that."**

The twins looked disgusted.

'You poor, poor, girl,' Fred said sympathetically.

**The candles burned lower and lower, making the light dance over the many moving faces of Lockhart watching her. Bella moved her aching hand over what felt like the thousandth envelope, writing out Veronica Smethley's address. It must be nearly time to leave, Bella thought miserably, please let it be nearly time…**

**And then she heard something — something quite apart from the spitting of the dying candles and Lockhart's prattle about his fans.**

Everyone looked at her curiously, she looked down hiding her hair, George gave her side a comforting squeeze.

**It was a voice, a voice to chill the bone marrow, a voice of breathtaking, ice-cold venom.**

'Wait what,' said most of the young people there at the time including Percy.

'You'll see,' she sighed.

"**Come… come to me… Let me rip you.. .Let me tear you.. .Let me kill you…"**

Ginny started to pale massively, Luna squeezed her hand smiling at her kindly.

'What in Godric's name was _that_!' Sirius hissed at Bella.

'A tricky _big_ blighter,' Bella said timidly, not looking anyone in the eye instead, she looked at George's hands which were around her stomach still.

Hermione scowled at her friend, she made it sound nowhere near as bad.

Ron was scowling too, remembering the amount Bella told them after with McGonagall, Dumbledore and his parents.

Mr and Mrs Weasley looked at each other. It must have been the basilisk.

**Bella gave a huge jump and a large lilac blot appeared on Veronica Smethley's street.**

"**What?" she said loudly.**

"**I know!" said Lockhart. "Six solid months at the top of the best-seller list! Broke all records!"**

'As if I would have cared anyways,' Bella said furiously.

"**No," said Bella frantically. "That voice!"**

"**Sorry?" said Lockhart, looking puzzled. "What voice?"**

"**That — that voice that said — didn't you hear it?"**

'Huh?' Sirius said worried.

'It's fine, Sirius,' Bella assured him.

**Lockhart was looking at Bella in high astonishment.**

"**What are you talking about, Bella? Perhaps you're getting a little drowsy? Great Scott — look at the time! We've been here nearly four hours! I'd never have believed it — the time's flown, hasn't it?"**

'No not really,' Bella said dryly.

**Bella didn't answer. She was straining her ears to hear the voice again, but there was no sound now except for Lockhart telling her she mustn't expect a treat like this every time she got detention. Feeling dazed, Bella left.**

Everyone besides McGonagall, Dumbledore, Ron, Mr Weasley, Mrs Weasley, Ginny and Hermione looked confused.

**It was so late that the Gryffindor common room was almost empty. Bella went straight up to the dormitory. Ron wasn't back yet. Bella pulled on her pyjamas, got into bed, and waited. **

'Wow you were freaked out,' Bill said.

'Did you hear what the disembodied voice said?' she said. 'Why would that make me worry?'

**Half an hour later, Ron arrived, nursing his right arm and bringing a strong smell of polish into the darkened room.**

"**My muscles have all seized up," he groaned, sinking on his bed. "Fourteen times he made me buff up that Quidditch cup before he was satisfied. And then I had another slug attack all over a Special Award for Services to the School. Took ages to get the slime off… How was it with Lockhart?"**

**Keeping her voice low so as not to wake Neville, Dean, and Seamus, Bella told Ron exactly what she had heard.**

'Aw, I always miss everything,' Neville pouted.

"**And Lockhart said he couldn't hear it?" said Ron. Bella could see him frowning in the moonlight. "D'you think he was lying? But I don't get it — even someone invisible would've had to open the door."**

"**I know," said Bella, lying back in her four-poster and staring at the canopy above her. "I don't get it either."**

'That's the end of the chapter,' said Draco.

'Who wants to read next?' Dumbledore.

'I'll read,' volunteered Bill, Draco threw the book at the oldest Weasley child.

"**The Deathday Party" **read Bill.


	8. The Deathday Party

**"The Deathday Party"** read Bill

Hermione, Ron and Bella groaned. McGonagall and the last marauders thought it was because of the actual party being to one themselves, but they were groaning about that happened after.

**October arrived, spreading a damp chill over the grounds and into the castle. Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, was kept busy by a sudden spate of colds among the staff and students. Her Pepperup potion worked instantly, though it left the drinker smoking at the ears for several hours afterward. Ginny Weasley, who had been looking pale,**

Ginny paled again knowing why she was pale.

**was bullied into taking some by Percy. The steam pouring from under her vivid hair gave the impression that her whole head was on fire.**

Ginny huffed, glaring at the girl on her brother's lap. 'Thanks Bella,' she snarled.

'No problem Gin,' Bella beamed back.

**Raindrops the size of bullets thundered on the castle windows for days on end; the lake rose, the flower beds turned into muddy streams, and Hagrid's pumpkins swelled to the size of garden sheds. Oliver Wood's enthusiasm for regular training sessions, however, was not dampened, which was why Bella was to be found, late one stormy Saturday afternoon a few days before Halloween, returning to Gryffindor Tower, drenched to the skin and splattered with mud.**

'You need to warm up,' Mrs Weasley said.

'And not get caught by Filch.' Said Fred.

'Which you must do, that's why it's singling this time out.' George said.

**Even aside from the rain and wind it hadn't been a happy practice session. Fred and George, who had been spying on the Slytherin team, had seen for themselves the speed of those new Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones. They reported that the Slytherin team was no more than seven greenish blurs, shooting through the air like missiles. **

Malfoy looked smug, then he remembered the game and just looked angry.

**As Bella squelched along the deserted corridor, her ponytail and fringe dripping; she came across somebody who looked just as preoccupied as she was. Nearly Headless Nick, the ghost of Gryffindor Tower, was staring morosely out of a window, muttering under his breath, "… don't fulfill their requirements… half an inch, if that…"**

'His head,' said all the past and present Gryffindors.

"**Hello, Nick," said Bella.**

"**Hello, hello," said Nearly Headless Nick, starting and looking round. He wore a dashing, plumed hat on his long curly hair, and a tunic with a ruff, which concealed the fact that his neck was almost completely severed. He was pale as smoke, and Bella could see right through him to the dark sky and torrential rain outside.**

"**You look troubled, young Potter," said Nick, **

McGonagall smiled, it was good how Nick would always try to help and comfort students when they were down.

**folding a transparent letter as he spoke and tucking it inside his doublet.**

"**So do you," said Bella.**

"**Ah," Nearly Headless Nick waved an elegant hand, "a matter of no importance… It's not as though I really wanted to join… Thought I'd apply, but apparently I 'don't fulfill requirements' —"**

**In spite of his airy tone, there was a look of great bitterness on his face.**

'He loves it really, despite the fact he can't join the headless hunt.' Luna said. 'It makes him different.'

"**But you would think, wouldn't you," he erupted suddenly, pulling the letter back out of his pocket, "that getting hit forty-five times in the neck with a blunt axe would qualify you to join the Headless Hunt?"**

"**Oh — yes," said Bella, who was obviously supposed to agree.**

'Yeah, you are,' Sirius said going pale, as Remus snorted remembering when Nick had chased them half the way around the castle.

"**I mean, nobody wishes more than I do that it had all been quick and clean, and my head had come off properly, I mean, it would have saved me a great deal of pain and ridicule. However—" Nearly Headless Nick shook his letter open and read furiously:**

"'**We can only accept huntsmen whose heads have parted company with their bodies. You will appreciate that it would be impossible otherwise for members to participate in hunt activities such as Horseback Head-Juggling and Head Polo. It is with the greatest regret, therefore, that I must inform you that you do not fulfill our requirements. With very best wishes, Sir Patrick Delaney-Podmore.'"**

'Poor Nick,' Ginny said smiling slightly.

**Fuming, Nearly Headless Nick stuffed the letter away.**

**"Half an inch of skin and sinew holding my neck on, Bella! Most people would think that's good and beheaded, but oh, no, it's not enough for Sir Properly Decapitated-Podmore."**

**Nearly Headless Nick took several deep breaths and then said, in a far calmer tone, "So — what's bothering you? Anything I can do?"**

'Nope,' Fred grumbled.

"**No," said Bella. "Not unless you know where we can get seven free Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones for our match against Sly—"**

'Why'd you stop?' Neville asked.

'Meow,' Bella said.

'A Mrs Norris,' Neville groaned, several people groaned with him.

**The rest of Bella's sentence was drowned out by a high-pitched mewling from somewhere near her ankles. She looked down and found herself gazing into a pair of lamp-like yellow eyes.**

Bella yawned, stretching slightly on George's lap, she felt really drained reading about all of her past... adventures, it made her really tried.

**It was Mrs. Norris, the skeletal gray cat who was used by the caretaker, Argus Filch, as a sort of deputy in his endless battle against students.**

Everyone laughed.

'That is certainly one way to put it,' laughed George, his reward a dig in the ribs.

'Shut up,' she grumbled.

"**You'd better get out of here, Bella," said Nick quickly. "Filch isn't in a good mood — he's got the flu and some third years accidentally plastered frog brains all over the ceiling in dungeon five. He's been cleaning all morning, and if he sees you dripping mud all over the place —"**

'Oh dear,' said Hermione, that was not a good combination.

"**Right," said Bella, backing away from the accusing stare of Mrs. Norris, but not quickly enough. Drawn to the spot by the mysterious power that seemed to connect him with his foul cat, Argus Filch burst suddenly through a tapestry to Bella's right, wheezing and looking wildly about for the rule-breaker. There was a thick tartan scarf bound around his head, and his nose was unusually purple.**

'Ew,' muttered the girls and women.

"**Filth!" he shouted, his jowls aquiver, his eyes popping alarmingly as he pointed at the muddy puddle that had dripped from Bella's Quidditch robes. "Mess and muck everywhere! I've had enough of it, I tell you! Follow me, Potter!"**

**So Bella waved a gloomy good-bye to Nearly Headless Nick and followed Filch back downstairs, doubling the number of muddy footprints on the floor. Bella had never been inside Filch's office before; it was a place most students avoided. The room was dingy and windowless, lit by a single oil lamp dangling from the low ceiling. A faint smell of fried fish lingered about the place. Wooden filing cabinets stood around the walls; from their labels, Bella could see that they contained details of every pupil Filch had ever punished. Fred and George Weasley had an entire drawer to themselves. **

The twins high fived each other. Remus and Sirius looked at each other they couldn't help but grin.

**A highly polished collection of chains and manacles hung on the wall behind Filch's desk. It was common knowledge that he was always begging Dumbledore to let him suspend students by their ankles from the ceiling.**

'He will never get that from me,' Dumbledore said gravely.

**Filch grabbed a quill from a pot on his desk and began shuffling around looking for parchment.**

"**Dung," he muttered furiously, "great sizzling dragon bogies… frog brains… rat intestines… I've had enough of it… make an example… where's the form… yes…"**

'Trust you to be the example,' Hermione sighed. Ron snickered it was so Bella's luck.

**He retrieved a large roll of parchment from his desk drawer and stretched it out in front of him, dipping his long black quill into the ink pot.**

"**Name… Isabella Potter. Crime…"**

"**It was only a bit of mud!" said Bella.**

"**It's only a bit of mud to you, girl, but to me it's an extra hour scrubbing!" shouted Filch, a drip shivering unpleasantly at the end of his bulbous nose. **

'Ew,' muttered the women again.

**"Crime… befouling the castle…**

Children and Marauders snorted.

**suggested sentence…"**

**Dabbing at his streaming nose, Filch squinted unpleasantly at Bella who waited with bated breath for his sentence to fall.**

**But as Filch lowered his quill, there was a great BANG! On the ceiling of the office, which made the oil lamp rattle.**

"**PEEVES!" Filch roared, flinging down his quill in a transport of rage. "I'll have you this time, I'll have you!"**

'Your saved, his battle with Peeves is more important than his anger at you.' Sirius laughed.

**And without a backward glance at Bella, Filch ran flat-footed from the office, Mrs. Norris streaking alongside him.**

**Peeves was the school poltergeist, a grinning, airborne menace who lived to cause havoc and distress.**

'Summed him up in one,' said McGonagall.

**Bella didn't much like Peeves,**

Twins gasped. 'How could you!' they wailed, 'he is a pranksters helper.'

'I'm not a prankster idiots.' She said rolling her eyes.

**but couldn't help feeling grateful for his timing. Hopefully, whatever Peeves had done (and it sounded as though he'd wrecked something very big this time) would distract Filch from Bella.**

**Thinking that she should probably wait for Filch to come back, Bella sank into a moth-eaten chair next to the desk. **

'WHAT!' cried the twins and Sirius.

'This is your excuse to run for it!' they all cried.

'MY EAR!' she yelled rubbing it. She looked at Bill who kept reading.

**There was only one thing on it apart from his half-completed form: a large, glossy, purple envelope with silver lettering on the front. With a quick glance at the door to check that Filch wasn't on his way back, Bella picked up the envelope and read:**

'Isabella,' scolded Mrs Weasley, Bella started at her sheepishly.

**Kwikspell**

**A Correspondence Course in Beginners' Magic.**

**Intrigued, Bella flicked the envelope open and pulled out the sheaf of parchment inside. More curly silver writing on the front page said:**

**Feel out of step in the world of modern magic? Find yourself making excuses not to perform simple spells? Ever been taunted for your woeful wandwork?**

Bella yawned again but she disguised it as a cough.

**There is an answer!**

**Kwikspell is an all-new, fail-safe, quick-result, easy-learn course. Hundreds of witches and wizards have benefited from the Kwikspell method!**

**Madam Z. Nettles of Topsham writes:**

"**I had no memory for incantations and my potions were a family joke! Now, after a Kwikspell course, I am the centre of attention at parties and friends beg for the recipe of my Scintillation Solution!"**

**Warlock D. J. Prod of Didsbury says:**

"**My wife used to sneer at my feeble charms, but one month into your fabulous Kwikspell course and I succeeded in turning her into a yak! **

The men who were not married with wives in the room laughed.

**Thank you, Kwikspell!"**

**Fascinated, Bella thumbed through the rest of the envelope's contents. Why on earth did Filch want a Kwikspell course? Did this mean he wasn't a proper wizard? Bella was just reading Lesson One: Holding Your Wand (Some Useful Tips) when shuffling footsteps outside told her Filch was coming back. Stuffing the parchment back into the envelope, Bella threw it back onto the desk just as the door opened.**

**Filch was looking triumphant.**

'That's not going to last long.' Ron said quietly remembering what was said at Halloween.

"**That vanishing cabinet was extremely valuable!" he was saying gleefully to Mrs. Norris. "We'll have Peeves out this time, my sweet —"**

**His eyes fell on Bella and then darted to the Kwikspell envelope, which, Bella realised too late, was lying two feet away from where it had started.**

'Ah so this is how you didn't get detention,' Bill said.

**Filch's pasty face went brick red. Bella braced herself for a tidal wave of fury. Filch hobbled across to his desk, snatched up the envelope, and threw it into a drawer.**

"**Have you — did you read —?" he sputtered.**

"**No," Bella lied quickly.**

**Filch's knobbly hands were twisting together.**

"**If I thought you'd read my private —not that it's mine — for a friend — be that as it may — however —"**

**Bella was staring at him, alarmed; Filch had never looked madder. His eyes were popping, a tic was going in one of his pouchy cheeks, and the tartan scarf didn't help.**

"**Very well — go — and don't breathe a word — not that — however, if you didn't read — go now, I have to write up Peeves' report — go —"**

'Nice one you're free,' the twins grinned.

'Idiots.' She said fondly, her eyes feeling heavy.

**Amazed at her luck, Bella sped out of the office, up the corridor, and back upstairs. To escape from Filch's office without punishment was probably some kind of school record.**

'Without help yes,' Sirius said.

"**Bella! Bella! Did it work?"**

**Nearly Headless Nick came gliding out of a classroom. Behind him, Bella could see the wreckage of a large black-and-gold cabinet that appeared to have been dropped from a great height.**

"**I persuaded Peeves to crash it right over Filch's office," said Nick eagerly. "Thought it might distract him —"**

Bella smiled warmly, she Nick really was the nicest ghost that she ever meet.

**"Was that you?" said Bella gratefully. "Yeah, it worked, I didn't even get detention. Thanks, Nick!"**

**They set off up the corridor together. Nearly Headless Nick, Bella noticed, was still holding Sir Patrick's rejection letter…**

'Guilt trip,' laughed Bill.

"**I wish there was something I could do for you about the Headless Hunt," Bella said. Nearly Headless Nick stopped in his tracks and Bella walked right through him.**

**She wished she hadn't; it was like stepping through an icy shower.**

Those who knew the experience shivered.

"**But there is something you could do for me," said Nick excitedly. "Bella — would I be asking too much — but no, you wouldn't want —"**

"**What is it?" said Bella.**

"**Well, this Halloween will be my five hundredth deathday," said Nearly Headless Nick, drawing himself up and looking dignified.**

"**Oh," said Bella, not sure whether she should look sorry or happy about this.**

'Happy,' Remus advised smiling at her, she nodded sleepily, she was slouching slightly her eye lids where getting really heavy.

'You know what happens,' George whispered in her ear, 'go to sleep, your allowed.' Bella smiled sleepily at him but shook her head.

'M'fine.' she mumbled

**"Right."**

"**I'm holding a party down in one of the roomier dungeons. Friends will be coming from all over the country. It would be such an honour if you would attend. Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger would be most welcome, too, of course — but I daresay you'd rather go to the school feast?" He watched Bella on tenterhooks.**

'Wow, he really is pulling out the big guns,' Hermione said.

'Huh?' said most people.

'Muggle saying about a Muggle contraption.' She said.

"**No," said Bella quickly, "I'll come —"**

"**My dear girl! Bella Potter, at my deathday party! And —" he hesitated, looking excited "— do you think you could possibly mention to Sir Patrick how very frightening and impressive you find me?"**

"**Of — of course," said Bella.**

**Nearly Headless Nick beamed at her. **

'You made his day, possibly year,' McGonagall said, 'he was telling me later on,'

'It ruined mine,' Ron grumbled, thinking about the lack of food.

"**A deathday party?" said Hermione keenly when Bella had changed at last and joined her and Ron in the common room. "I bet there aren't many living people who can say they've been to one of those — it'll be fascinating!"**

"**Why would anyone want to celebrate the day they died?" said Ron, who was halfway through his Potions homework and grumpy. "Sounds dead depressing to me…"**

'Nobody did,' Malfoy drawled.

'Nobody asked you either,' Charlie snapped.

**Rain was still lashing the windows, which were now inky black, but inside all looked bright and cheerful. The firelight glowed over the countless squashy armchairs where people sat reading, talking, doing homework or, in the case of Fred and George Weasley, trying to find out what would happen if you fed a Filibuster firework to a salamander. **

Mrs Weasley and McGonagall frowned.

**Fred had "rescued" the brilliant orange, fire-dwelling lizard from a Care of Magical Creatures class and it was now smouldering gently on a table surrounded by a knot of curious people.**

**Bella was at the point of telling Ron and Hermione about Filch and the Kwikspell course when the salamander suddenly whizzed into the air, emitting loud sparks and bangs as it whirled wildly round the room. **

**The sight of Percy bellowing himself hoarse at Fred and George, the spectacular display of tangerine stars showering from the salamander's mouth, and its escape into the fire, with accompanying explosions, drove both Filch and the Kwikspell envelope from Bella's mind.**

'I imagine it would,' Mr Weasley chuckled. Bella nodded, her eyes dropping.

**By the time Halloween arrived, Bella was regretting her rash promise to go to the deathday party. The rest of the school was happily anticipating their Halloween feast; the Great Hall had been decorated with the usual live bats, Hagrid's vast pumpkins had been carved into lanterns large enough for three men to sit in, and there were rumours that Dumbledore had booked a troupe of dancing skeletons for the entertainment.**

'Had you, sir?' Ron asked.

'I wish I had,' Dumbledore said amused.

"**A promise is a promise," Hermione reminded Bella bossily.**

Hermione huffed, Bella looked at her apologetically.

**"You said you'd go to the Deathday party."**

**So at seven o'clock, Bella, Ron, and Hermione walked straight past the doorway to the packed Great Hall, which was glittering invitingly with gold plates and candles, and directed their steps instead toward the dungeons.**

**The passageway leading to Nearly Headless Nick's party had been lined with candles, too, though the effect was far from cheerful: These were long, thin, jet-black tapers, all burning bright blue, casting a dim, ghostly light even over their own living faces. The temperature dropped with every step they took.**

'All the ghosts.' Luna said.

**As Bella shivered and drew her robes tightly around her, she heard what sounded like a thousand fingernails scraping an enormous blackboard.**

Hermione and Ron grimaced as they remembered the sound.

"**Is that supposed to be music?" Ron whispered. They turned a corner and saw Nearly Headless Nick standing at a doorway hung with black velvet drapes.**

"**My dear friends," he said mournfully. "Welcome, welcome… so pleased you could come…"**

**He swept off his plumed hat and bowed them inside.**

**It was an incredible sight. The dungeon was full of hundreds of pearly-white, translucent people, mostly drifting around a crowded dance floor, waltzing to the dreadful, quavering sound of thirty musical saws, played by an orchestra on a raised, black-draped platform. A chandelier overhead blazed midnight-blue with a thousand more black candles. Their breath rose in a mist before them; it was like stepping into a freezer.**

'Does this have to be so detailed?' Ron grumbled, even remembering it was making him shiver.

'Blame Hermione, she sent the books back,' Bella mumbled. Hermione scowled but Bella ignored her. 'It's true.'

"**Shall we have a look around?" Bella suggested, wanting to warm up her feet.**

"**Careful not to walk through anyone," said Ron nervously, and they set off around the edge of the dance floor. They passed a group of gloomy nuns, a ragged man wearing chains, and the Fat Friar, a cheerful Hufflepuff ghost, who was talking to a knight with an arrow sticking out of his forehead. **

Sirius laughed.

**Bella wasn't surprised to see that the Bloody Baron, a gaunt, staring Slytherin ghost covered in silver bloodstains, was being given a wide berth by the other ghosts.**

'It's not like he could hurt them,' scoffed Bill.

'He died for love,' Luna said dreamily.

'Love?' said Ron. 'More likely murdered his love then committed suicide.' Bella and Hermione shared another look, Hermione wrote this down.

"**Oh, no," said Hermione, stopping abruptly. "Turn back, turn back, I don't want to talk to Moaning Myrtle —"**

"**Who?" said Ron as they backtracked quickly.**

"**She haunts one of the toilets in the girls' bathroom on the first floor," said Hermione.**

"**She haunts a toilet?"**

"**Yes. It's been out-of-order all year because she keeps having tantrums and flooding the place. I never went in there anyway if I could avoid it; it's awful trying to have a pee with her wailing at you —"**

"**Look, food!" said Ron.**

The trio looked green.

**On the other side of the dungeon was a long table, also covered in black velvet. They approached it eagerly but next moment had stopped in their tracks, horrified. **

**The smell was quite disgusting. Large, rotten fish were laid on handsome silver platters; cakes, burned charcoal-black, were heaped on salvers; there was a great maggoty haggis, a slab of cheese covered in furry green mould and, in pride of place, an enormous gray cake in the shape of a tombstone, with tar-like icing forming the words,**

**SIR NICHOLAS DE MIMSY-PORPINGTON**

**DIED 31ST OCTOBER, 1492**

Bella felt her eyelids drop refusing to re open.

'Just sleep, you scrawny little sod.' Fred whispered in her ear, smiling, she gave in curling up on George's lap – which she found extremely comfy – hiding her face with her hair so nobody would notice her sleeping.

**Bella watched, amazed, as a portly ghost approached the table, crouched low, and walked through it, his mouth held wide so that it passed through one of the stinking salmon.**

'Can they taste it if they walk through it.' George wondered out loud.

"**Can you taste it if you walk though it?" Bella asked him.**

George grinned at saying the same as Bella.

"**Almost," said the ghost sadly, and he drifted away.**

"**I expect they've let it rot to give it a stronger flavour," said Hermione knowledgeably, pinching her nose and leaning closer to look at the putrid haggis.**

"**Can we move? I feel sick," said Ron.**

**They had barely turned around, however, when a little man swooped suddenly from under the table and came to a halt in midair before them.**

"**Hello, Peeves," said Bella cautiously.**

**Unlike the ghosts around them, Peeves the Poltergeist was the very reverse of pale and transparent. He was wearing a bright orange party hat, a revolving bow tie, and a broad grin on his wide, wicked face.**

"**Nibbles?" he said sweetly, offering them a bowl of peanuts covered in fungus.**

Everyone pulled a face.

"**No thanks," said Hermione.**

"**Heard you talking about poor Myrtle," said Peeves, his eyes dancing. "Rude you was about poor Myrtle." He took a deep breath and bellowed, "OI! MYRTLE!"**

"**Oh, no, Peeves, don't tell her what I said, she'll be really upset," Hermione whispered frantically.**

**"I didn't mean it, I don't mind her — er, hello, Myrtle."**

**The squat ghost of a girl had glided over. She had the glummest face Bella had ever seen, half-hidden behind lank hair and thick, pearly spectacles.**

"**What?" she said sulkily.**

"**How are you, Myrtle?" said Hermione in a falsely bright voice. "It's nice to see you out of the toilet."**

**Myrtle sniffed.**

"**Miss Granger was just talking about you —" said Peeves slyly in Myrtle's ear. "Just saying —"**

"**Just saying — saying — how nice you look tonight," said Hermione, glaring at Peeves.**

**Myrtle eyed Hermione suspiciously.**

'Not going to work,' McGonagall sighed. 'Poor Myrtle, she was never out those toilets not even when she was alive.'

"**No — honestly — didn't I just say how nice Myrtle's looking?" said Hermione, nudging Bella and Ron painfully in the ribs.**

"**Oh, yeah —"**

"**She did —"**

**"Don't lie to me," Myrtle gasped, tears now flooding down her face, while Peeves chuckled happily over her shoulder. "D'you think I don't know what people call me behind my back? Fat Myrtle! Ugly Myrtle! Miserable, moaning, moping Myrtle!"**

"**You've forgotten pimply," Peeves hissed in her ear.**

**Moaning Myrtle burst into anguished sobs and fled from the dungeon. Peeves shot after her, pelting her with mouldy peanuts, yelling, "Pimply! Pimply!"**

Pranksters shook their heads fondly.

"**Oh, dear," said Hermione sadly.**

**Nearly Headless Nick now drifted toward them through the crowd.**

"**Enjoying yourselves?"**

"**Oh, yes," they lied.**

"**Not a bad turnout," said Nearly Headless Nick proudly. "The Wailing Widow came all the way up from Kent… **

**It's nearly time for my speech, I'd better go and warn the orchestra…"**

**The orchestra, however, stopped playing at that very moment. They, and everyone else in the dungeon, fell silent, looking around in excitement, as a hunting horn sounded.**

"**Oh, here we go," said Nearly Headless Nick bitterly.**

'Poor Nick,' said Hermione.

**Through the dungeon wall burst a dozen ghost horses, each ridden by a headless horseman. The assembly clapped wildly; Bella started to clap, too, but stopped quickly at the sight of Nick's face.**

Bless him, though many people.

**The horses galloped into the middle of the dance floor and halted, rearing and plunging. At the front of the pack was a large ghost who held his bearded head under his arm, from which position he was blowing the horn. The ghost leapt down, lifted his head high in the air so he could see over the crowd (everyone laughed), and strode over to Nearly Headless Nick, squashing his head back onto his neck.**

'Poor Nick,' laughed Fred, George heard a little muffle from Bella, looking at her carefully, so he didn't disturb her, he saw that she had actually fallen asleep, he kept his arms securely around her preventing her from slipping off, happily watching her and wondering when someone else would notice. Imagining one day watching her sleep beside him... he shook the image from his head.

"**Nick!" he roared. "How are you? Head still hanging in there?"**

**He gave a hearty guffaw and clapped Nearly Headless Nick on the shoulder.**

"**Welcome, Patrick," said Nick stiffly.**

"**Live 'uns!" said Sir Patrick, spotting Bella, Ron, and Hermione and giving a huge, fake jump of astonishment, so that his head fell off again (the crowd howled with laughter).**

'It wasn't that funny,' Ron said scowling.

"**Very amusing," said Nearly Headless Nick darkly.**

"**Don't mind Nick!" shouted Sir Patrick's head from the floor. "Still upset we won't let him join the Hunt! But I mean to say — look at the fellow —"**

"**I think," said Bella hurriedly, at a meaningful look from Nick, "Nick's very — frightening and — er —"**

'Very convincing, Potter.' Malfoy sneered he looked at the girl in Fred or was it George... one of the blood traitor twins lap. He thought she looks like she was asleep.

'Potter? Are you even awake?' He drawled, this turned everyone's attention to Bella who choose that moment to turn slightly, frowning a little in her sleep; she had a small pout on her lips before she turned back into Georges shoulder.

'No Colin, I don't want a photo.' She mumbled in her sleep curling up further on George's lap.

'She's asleep.' Snickered Ron and Neville, at the same time, Bella - unless having a nightmare – was always curled up.

'She's always curled up,' said Neville

And she no matter what the dream always pouted slightly, Ron thought smiling at his peaceful friend.

'Aw, how sweet,' Said Sirius softly, looking at his fifteen year old goddaughter fondly. 'Blimey, she looks small.'

'I know,' said Mr Weasley. 'She looks so much younger.' He too was smiling at his 'daughter' fondly.

'No Colin,' she mumbled again. Snape looked at her in wonder, she did look adorable, though he would never admit this thought to anyone – ever – it wasn't till he saw her like this that he realised how pain and worry-filled her face was during the day, when she was like this he wanted to protect her... not because she was Lily's daughter; but because she was this vulnerable little girl in front of them.

"**Ha!" yelled Sir Patrick's head.**

"**Bet he asked you to say that!"**

"**If I could have everyone's attention, it's time for my speech!" said Nearly Headless Nick loudly, striding toward the podium and climbing into an icy blue spotlight.**

"**My late lamented lords, ladies, and gentlemen, it is my great sorrow…"**

**But nobody heard much more. Sir Patrick and the rest of the Headless Hunt had just started a game of Head Hockey and the crowd were turning to watch.**

'That's not fair it's Nick's party!' Ginny said annoyed.

**Nearly Headless Nick tried vainly to recapture his audience, but gave up as Sir Patrick's head went sailing past him to loud cheers.**

**Bella was very cold by now, not to mention hungry.**

Everyone looked at Bella again smiling.

"**I can't stand much more of this," Ron muttered, his teeth chattering, as the orchestra ground back into action and the ghosts swept back onto the dance floor.**

"**Let's go," Bella agreed.**

**They backed toward the door, nodding and beaming at anyone who looked at them, and a minute later were hurrying back up the passageway full of black candles.**

"**Pudding might not be finished yet," said Ron hopefully, leading the way toward the steps to the entrance hall.**

'Did you make pudding?' Mrs Weasley asked them. Ron and Hermione shook their heads.

**And then Bella heard it.**

"… **rip… tear… kill…"**

**It was the same voice, the same cold, murderous voice she had heard in Lockhart's office.**

**She stumbled to a halt, clutching at the stone wall, listening with all her might, looking around, squinting up and down the dimly lit passageway.**

"**Bella, what're you —?"**

"**It's that voice again — shut up a minute —"**

"… **soo hungry… for so long…"**

"**Listen!" said Bella urgently, and Ron and Hermione froze, watching her.**

"… **kill… time to kill…"**

Everyone looked uneasy, Ginny's hands were shaking slightly. Ron and Hermione shared a look, no wonder she was so worried.

**The voice was growing fainter. Bella was sure it was moving away — moving upward. A mixture of fear and excitement gripped her**

'Fear and excitement,' said Sirius frowning at the sleeping girl.

'I think it just means knowing what it is.' Hermione reasoned.

**as she stared at the dark ceiling; how could it be moving upward? Was it a phantom, to whom stone ceilings didn't matter?**

"**This way," she shouted, and she began to run, up the stairs, into the entrance hall. It was no good hoping to hear anything here, the babble of talk from the Halloween feast was echoing out of the Great Hall. Bella sprinted up the marble staircase to the first floor, Ron and Hermione clattering behind her.**

"**Bella, what're we —"**

"**SHH!"**

**Bella strained her ears. Distantly, from the floor above, and growing fainter still, she heard the voice: "… I smell blood… I SMELL BLOOD!"**

'That's so creepy,' Neville said looking at Bella, how come no one else could hear this.

**Her stomach lurched —**

"**It's going to kill someone!" she shouted, and ignoring Ron's and Hermione's bewildered faces, **

Fred laughed.

'Shh!' hissed George.

'Sorry, but come on they can't hear this they have no idea.' He said.

**she ran up the next flight of steps three at a time, trying to listen over her own pounding footsteps — Bella hurtled around the whole of the second floor, Ron and Hermione panting behind her, not stopping until they turned a corner into the last, deserted passage.**

"**Bella, what was that all about?" said Ron, wiping sweat off his face. "I couldn't hear anything…"**

**But Hermione gave a sudden gasp, pointing down the corridor.**

"**Look!"**

**Something was shining on the wall ahead. They approached slowly, squinting through the darkness. Foot-high words had been daubed on the wall between two windows, shimmering in the light cast by the flaming torches.**

**THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED.**

**ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE**

Hermione looked at her sleeping friend worriedly; she really was the enemy of the heir. Ginny shivered slightly.

"**What's that thing — hanging underneath?" said Ron, a slight quiver in his voice.**

**As they edged nearer, Bella slipped — **

The kids snickered.

**there was a large puddle of water on the floor; Ron and Hermione grabbed her, and they inched toward the message, eyes fixed on a dark shadow beneath it. All three of them realised what it was at once, and leapt backward with a splash.**

Ron and Hermione looked pale remembering.

**Mrs. Norris, the caretaker's cat, was hanging by her tail from the torch bracket. She was stiff as a board, her eyes wide and staring.**

**For a few seconds, they didn't move. Then Ron said, "Let's get out of here."**

"**Shouldn't we try and help —" Bella began awkwardly.**

'No good, Constant vigilance,' Moody said.

"**Trust me," said Ron. "We don't want to be found here."**

**But it was too late. A rumble, as though of distant thunder, told them that the feast had just ended. From either end of the corridor where they stood came the sound of hundreds of feet climbing the stairs, and the loud, happy talk of well-fed people; next moment, students were crashing into the passage from both ends.**

**The chatter, the bustle, the noise died suddenly as the people in front spotted the hanging cat. Bella, Ron, and Hermione stood alone, in the middle of the corridor, as silence fell among the mass of students pressing forward to see the grisly sight.**

**Then someone shouted through the quiet.**

**"Enemies of the Heir, beware! You'll be next, Mudbloods!"**

**It was Draco Malfoy. He had pushed to the front of the crowd, his cold eyes alive, his usually bloodless face flushed, as he grinned at the sight of the hanging, immobile cat.**

'That's the end of the chapter.'

'I think we should all go to bed.' Said Mrs Weasley eyeing, Bella and the other children who were all looking a little tired.

'What are we going to do about Bella?' asked George, who was still holding the unconscious saviour of the wizarding world.

'Here, I'll carry her.' Sirius said walking over and picking Bella up – gently so not to disturb her – he carried her as though she weighed the same as she did when she was a toddler. With Sirius in the lead they all headed to the dorms.

As they entered the room Bella and McGonagall were sharing, both boys pulled the blankets so that Sirius could place her onto the bed gently; before they put it back over the top of her.

'You seem to know how to do that,' Sirius said eyeing them suspiciously.

'She sleepwalks sometimes,' Neville said shrugging. Sirius eye lit up.

'Really?' They nodded, he smiled fondly at his sleeping goddaughter, James used to as well.

'Bloody pain,' Ron grumbled, 'she wonders around then drops like that,' clicking his fingers.

'She doesn't do it often about once every few months or something,' Neville said.

'I know,' Ron said smiling at his best friends sleeping form.

Sirius stroked Bella's hair before all three of them left the room, McGonagall walked in a second later smiling at Bella's sleeping form.

It wasn't long before everyone was asleep.


	9. The Writing on the Wall

Bella woke up confused, she couldn't remember going to bed last night. She turned to see McGonagall tying her hair in her usual bun.

She was her in the mirror and smiled.

'You fell asleep during the reading Potter, Sirius carried you in here.'

'Oh,' she said. 'So where are we now?'

'You've read the message and the students have seen you, Granger and Weasley by Mrs Norris,' Bella nodded.

She yawned and got ready. Everyone was waiting for them downstairs.

'Alright sleepy head?' said George winking.

She grinned. 'Yeah, you?'

'Good.'

'He's wondering if you'll sit on his lap again.' Fred laughed.

'Nah, I'll sit by myself, now I can. I'm not five.'

George pouted jokily. Well, he thought. It was great while it lasted.

Fred: So did you enjoy the last few chapters?

George: Shut up

Fred: I'm not talking.

George: You know what I mean.

Fred: Just say it then I'll leave you alone.

Fred grinned at his brother making George wonder how he ever put up with him half the time.

George: Fine, I was happier than a niffer in a treasure chest alright.

Fred's grin turned to a beam as they all sat down for breakfast.

Once everyone was feed and sat back down, Mad eye picked up the book.

'I haven't read in a while,' he grunted.

**"The Writing on the Wall" **he read.

"**What's going on here? What's going on?"**

**Attracted no doubt by Malfoy's shout, Argus Filch came shouldering his way through the crowd. Then he saw Mrs. Norris and fell back, clutching his face in horror.**

"**My cat! My cat! What's happened to Mrs. Norris?" he shrieked.**

'Poor Flich,' sighed Tonks, she didn't like him much, but bless him he loved that cat.

**And his popping eyes fell on Bella.**

'He blames you, doesn't he?' Sirius sighed at his goddaughter, who was sitting beside him again.

She grinned at him as though to say 'of course'.

"**You!" he screeched. "You! You've murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll kill you! I'll —"**

"**Argus!"**

**Dumbledore had arrived on the scene, followed by a number of other teachers. In seconds, he had swept past Bella, Ron, and Hermione and detached Mrs. Norris from the torch bracket.**

"**Come with me, Argus," he said to Filch. "You, too, Mr. Weasley, Miss Potter, Miss Granger."**

'You always call her Bella in private though.' Ron mumbled.

'How come Mr always goes before Miss or Mrs anyway?' Neville asked.

'Huh, I dunno Nev, just the way the language works. Some would say the language itself is sexist.' Bella rolled her eyes. 'Some oxford Professor thinks so, but I couldn't care less.'

'Hey, I know that the wizarding world has some sexism in its culture but is it racist?' Bella asked curiously. 'Never heard Malfoy pick on anyone who is to be politically correct…' she stopped. 'What is the politically correct term here? I mean America its Native American, but…'

'Isn't coloured?'

'Nah, that's racist according to government.' Bella said. 'Black is racist and I know you can't sing bah bah black sheep anymore?'

'What?' said Tonks. Hermione nodded.

'It's rainbow sheep now,' Hermione said.

'That's ridiculous,' Malfoy said. 'Judging people on skin!'

'Welcome to our world, blood boy,' Fred said scowling.

'If skin colour isn't important why the heck is blood?'

Malfoy went to retort but closed his mouth again. It just is, he spat in his head.

'Hermione did I ever tell you what Aunt Petunia did once?' Bella asked looking like she was fighting a laugh.

'Well her friend Yvonne has black coffee's you know without milk.' Hermione nodded. 'So me, her, Dudley and this Yvonne all went in this café for a drink but there was a dark girl on the till, I think they said her name on her badge was… hey Dean has three sisters doesn't he? I think it was one of them she looked a lot like him now I look back and Dean said one of his sisters was called Sophie. Anyway so she was serving so Aunt Petunia got all worried. When it was finally our turn she said "Can I have one coke, one normal coffee and one coffee with no milk in." the girl went. "You mean a black coffee?" Aunt Petunia said. "Yes no milk," later I was forced to get more of the same drinks so I just asked for everything again only I said black coffee, Aunt Petunia went mad but the girl really didn't care, she was nice actually she gave me a lemonade cause she knew the coke was for Dudley not me.' Bella said grinning.

'Well have to ask Dean when we get back,' Neville said.

'Yeah, I still don't get why you can't say black I mean a black boards a chalk board, but a white board is still a white board and stuff, argh rant over.' She said gesturing to Mad eye who started to read again.

**Lockhart stepped forward eagerly.**

"**My office is nearest, Headmaster — just upstairs — please feel free —"**

'Prat,' muttered Ron

"**Thank you, Gilderoy," said Dumbledore.**

**The silent crowd parted to let them pass. Lockhart, looking excited and important, hurried after Dumbledore;**

'What an idiot,' Neville said rolling his eyes.

**so did Professors McGonagall and Snape.**

**As they entered Lockhart's darkened office there was a flurry of movement across the walls; Bella saw several of the Lockhart's in the pictures dodging out of sight, their hair in rollers. The real Lockhart lit the candles on his desk and stood back. Dumbledore lay Mrs. Norris on the polished surface and began to examine her. Bella, Ron, and Hermione exchanged tense looks and sank into chairs outside the pool of candlelight, watching.**

**The tip of Dumbledore's long, crooked nose was barely an inch from Mrs. Norris's fur. He was looking at her closely through his half-moon spectacles, his long fingers gently prodding and poking.**

Mad eye looked at his old friend, and shook his head. Albus was an odd man, he always had been and of course he knew what he was doing in this case, but he was still odd.

**Professor McGonagall was bent almost as close, her eyes narrowed. Snape loomed behind them, half in shadow, wearing a most peculiar expression: It was as though he was trying hard not to smile.**

'Severus,' McGonagall said, almost like when she was telling of a student.

**And Lockhart was hovering around all of them, making suggestions.**

"**It was definitely a curse that killed her — probably the Transmogrifian Torture — I've seen it used many times, so unlucky I wasn't there, I know the very countercurse that would have saved her…"**

'Oh shut up you blithering idiot!' McGonagall barked. The trio looked at her.

'Why couldn't you have said that in the first time,' Ron said.

**Lockhart's comments were punctuated by Filch's dry, racking sobs. He was slumped in a chair by the desk, unable to look at Mrs. Norris, his face in his hands. Much as she detested Filch, Bella couldn't help feeling a bit sorry for him, **

Ron and Hermione remembered how they felt the same. Everyone in the room felt sorry for him as well.

**though not nearly as sorry as she felt for herself.**

Ha Potter feels sorry for herself when others are down, Snape thought. That's selfish, like her father.

**If Dumbledore believed Filch, she would be expelled for sure.**

'I never would have,' Dumbledore said in an assuring voice. Bella nodded.

**Dumbledore was now muttering strange words under his breath and tapping Mrs. Norris with his wand but nothing happened. She continued to look as though she had been recently stuffed.**

"… **I remember something very similar happening in Ouagadogou," said Lockhart, "a series of attacks, the full story's in my autobiography, I was able to provide the townsfolk with various amulets, which cleared the matter up at once…"**

**The photographs of Lockhart on the walls were all nodding in agreement as he talked. One of them had forgotten to remove his hair net.**

All the men, Bella, Ginny and Tonks snorted.

**At last Dumbledore straightened up.**

"**She's not dead, Argus," he said softly.**

**Lockhart stopped abruptly in the middle of counting the number of murders he had prevented.**

"**Not dead?" choked Filch, looking through his fingers at Mrs. Norris. "But why's she all — all stiff and frozen?"**

"**She has been Petrified," said Dumbledore ("Ah! I thought so!" said Lockhart). **

'Oh shut up,' grumbled Charlie under his breath.

**"But how, I cannot say…"**

"**Ask her!" shrieked Filch, turning his blotched and tearstained face to Bella.**

"**No second year could have done this," said Dumbledore firmly. "it would take Dark Magic of the most advanced —"**

'Even Tom in his second year could not have performed such a thing,' Dumbledore said.

"**She did it, she did it!" Filch spat, his pouchy face purpling. "You saw what she wrote on the wall! She found — in my office — she knows I'm a — I'm a —" Filch's face worked horribly. "She knows I'm a Squib!" he finished.**

'Another lesson of the magic world for me,' Bella said trying to joke.

"**I never touched Mrs. Norris!" Bella said loudly, uncomfortably aware of everyone looking at her, including all the Lockharts on the walls. "And I don't even know what a Squib is."**

**"Rubbish!" snarled Filch. "She saw my Kwikspell letter!"**

'So that means she murdered your cat?' Bill said.

'It's Flich,' Charlie said, Bill shrugged in a "suppose so" sort of way.

"**If I might speak, Headmaster," said Snape from the shadows, and Bella's sense of foreboding increased; she was sure nothing Snape had to say was going to do her any good.**

'She's not wrong,' Sirius muttered.

"**Potter and her friends may have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time," **

'He's defending you?' Sirius said shocked looking at Snape as though he had grown a second head.

**he said, a slight sneer curling his mouth as though he doubted it. **

'Ah, ok, that makes more sense.'

**"But we do have a set of suspicious circumstances here. Why was she in the upstairs corridor at all? Why wasn't she at the Halloween feast?"**

'Deathday party,' said Tonks.

'I didn't know that at the time Nyphah – ah – Tonks,' he said sneering slightly as Tonks's hair turned red at him saying her name.

**Bella, Ron and Hermione all launched into an explanation about the deathday party. "… there were hundreds of ghosts, they'll tell you we were there —"**

"**But why not join the feast afterward?" said Snape, his black eyes glittering in the candlelight. "Why go up to that corridor?"**

'And he's got you,' Fred groaned.

'How did you get out of this?'

'Lied and didn't tell them about the voice,' said Bella.

**Ron and Hermione looked at Bella.**

"**Because — because —" Bella said, her heart thumping very fast; something told her it would sound very far-fetched if she told them she had been led there by a bodiless voice no one but she could hear, "because we were tired and wanted to go to bed," she said.**

"**Without any supper?" said Snape, a triumphant smile flickering across his gaunt face. "I didn't think ghosts provided food fit for living people at their parties."**

"**We weren't hungry," said Ron loudly as his stomach gave a huge rumble.**

Ron glared at his stomach for rumbling in that moment.

**Snape's nasty smile widened.**

'Git,' Ron muttered

"**I suggest, Headmaster, that Potter is not being entirely truthful," he said. "It might be a good idea if she were deprived of certain privileges until she is ready to tell us the whole story. I personally feel she should be taken off the Gryffindor Quidditch team until she is ready to be honest."**

'And cue Minnie to the rescue,' Sirius laughed. 'He threatened Quidditch.' McGonagall scowled at her ex pupil.

"**Really, Severus," said Professor McGonagall sharply, "I see no reason to stop the girl playing Quidditch. This cat wasn't hit over the head with a broomstick. There is no evidence at all that Potter has done anything wrong."**

**Dumbledore was giving Bella a searching look. His twinkling light-blue gaze made Bella feel as though she were being X-rayed.**

Dumbledore chuckled.

"**Innocent until proven guilty, Severus," he said firmly.**

'Thanks sir,' Bella beamed at him.

**Snape looked furious.**

'Take that Snape.' Sirius said. Snape just glared at him.

**So did Filch.**

"**My cat has been Petrified!" he shrieked, his eyes popping. "I want to see some punishment!"**

"**We will be able to cure her, Argus," said Dumbledore patiently. "Professor Sprout recently managed to procure some Mandrakes. As soon as they have reached their full size, I will have a potion made that will revive Mrs. Norris."**

"**I'll make it," Lockhart butted in.**

'NO!' cried everyone who wasn't there.

**"I must have done it a hundred times. I could whip up a Mandrake Restorative Draught in my sleep —"**

'Yeah right!' Tonks said frowning.

"**Excuse me," said Snape icily. "But I believe I am the Potions master at this school."**

**There was a very awkward pause.**

"**You may go," Dumbledore said to Bella, Ron, and Hermione.**

**They went, as quickly as they could without actually running. When they were a floor up from Lockhart's office, they turned into an empty classroom and closed the door quietly behind them. Bella squinted at her friends' darkened faces.**

"**D'you think I should have told them about that voice I heard?"**

"**No," said Ron, without hesitation. "Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the wizarding world." **

'They already think your nuts,' said Fred glaring at his brother who scowled back.

**Something in Ron's voice made Bella ask, "You do believe me, don't you?"**

"'**Course I do," said Ron quickly. "But — you must admit it's weird…"**

'Ron it's like you don't know me at all.' Bella said her hand on her heart.

"**I know it's weird," said Bella. "The whole thing's weird. What was that writing on the wall about? The Chamber Has Been Opened… What's that supposed to mean?"**

"**You know, it rings a sort of bell," said Ron slowly. "I think someone told me a story about a secret chamber at Hogwarts once… might've been Bill…"**

'It was,' he said smiling.

"**And what on earth's a Squib?" said Bella.**

**To her surprise, Ron stifled a snigger.**

'Ronald Weasley,' cried Mr and Mrs Weasley. Ron sank in his chair.

**"Well — it's not funny really — but as it's Filch," he said.**

'Even so young man, we though we raised you better.' Mrs Weasley said scowling. Ron looked ashamed.

**"A Squib is someone who was born into a wizarding family but hasn't got any magic powers. Kind of the opposite of Muggle-born wizards,**

'Good analogy, Ron.' Tonks beamed.

**but Squibs are quite unusual. If Filch's trying to learn magic from a Kwikspell course, I reckon he must be a Squib. It would explain a lot. Like why he hates students so much." Ron gave a satisfied smile. "He's bitter."**

Mrs Weasley opened her mouth.

'Molly, my dear, I think this is a twelve year old boy who is happy to have discovered something that his companions did not know,' Dumbledore said smiling. 'I do not believe he is prejudice in any way.'

**A clock chimed somewhere.**

"**Midnight," said Bella. **"**We'd better get to bed before Snape comes along and tries to frame us for something else."**

Snape scowled at Bella who smiled back innocently.

**For a few days, the school could talk of little else but the attack on Mrs. Norris. Filch kept it fresh in everyone's minds by pacing the spot where she had been attacked, as though he thought the attacker might come back. Bella had seen him scrubbing the message on the wall with Mrs. Skower's All-Purpose Magical Mess Remover, but to no effect; the words still gleamed as brightly as ever on the stone.**

'Did they get it off,' Tonks asked.

The students nodded.

'Eventually.' Ginny said.

**When Filch wasn't guarding the scene of the crime, he was skulking red-eyed through the corridors, lunging out at unsuspecting students and trying to put them in detention for things like "breathing loudly' and "looking happy."**

People rolled their eyes while others looked sympathetic yet annoyed.

**Ginny Weasley seemed very disturbed by Mrs. Norris's fate. **

**According to Ron, she was a great cat lover.**

**"But you haven't really got to know Mrs. Norris," Ron told her bracingly. "Honestly, we're much better off without her." Ginny's lip trembled. "Stuff like this doesn't often happen at Hogwarts," Ron assured her. "They'll catch the maniac who did it and have him out of here in no time. I just hope he's got time to Petrify Filch before he's expelled. I'm only joking —" Ron added hastily as Ginny blanched.**

Ginny was pale again.

**The attack had also had an effect on Hermione. It was quite usual for Hermione to spend a lot of time reading,** **but she was now doing almost nothing else. Nor could Bella and Ron get much response from her when they asked what she was up to, and not until the following Wednesday did they find out.**

**Bella had been held back in Potions, where Snape had made her stay behind to scrape tubeworms off the desks. **

'Why?' said McGonagall

'No reason,' said Neville remembering nearly every potion lesson where he and Bella always got in trouble. At least he got in trouble because he messed up… Badly. But Bella was fairly good a potions, would probably be as good as Hermione if it wasn't for Snape.

'I'm sure there was,' said Snape coldly glaring at Neville. 'I just cannot remember.'

'He always does it Professor,' said Hermione. 'Always makes Bella stay behind for no fair reason. It'll be something like her shoe was untied she's potion was missing one ingredient, whereas some people are hissing and smell like all sorts' ignoring the potions masters glare.

'We'll talk later Severus,' said McGonagall, Snape shrugged.

**After a hurried lunch, she went upstairs to meet Ron in the library, and saw Justin Finch-Fletchley, the Hufflepuff boy from Herbology, coming toward her. Bella had just opened her mouth to say hello when Justin caught sight of her, turned abruptly, and sped off in the opposite direction.**

'Idiot,' Ron muttered darkly.

**Bella found Ron at the back of the library, measuring his History of Magic homework. Professor Binns had asked for a three foot long composition on "The Medieval Assembly of European Wizards."**

"**I don't believe it, I'm still eight inches short," said Ron furiously, letting go of his parchment, which sprang back into a roll. "And Hermione's done four feet seven inches and her writing's tiny."**

Hermione flushed with pride as Mad eye read that out.

"**Where is she?" asked Bella, grabbing the tape measure and unrolling her own homework.**

"**Somewhere over there," said Ron, pointing along the shelves. "Looking for another book. I think she's trying to read the whole library before Christmas."**

This crack earned him a whack on the head.

**Bella told Ron about Justin Finch-Fletchley running away from her.**

**"Dunno why you care. I thought he was a bit of an idiot," said Ron, scribbling away, making his writing as large as possible. "All that junk about Lockhart being so great —"**

The boys snickered and Hermione blushed she couldn't believe she had ever fell for that idiot.

**Hermione emerged from between the bookshelves. She looked irritable and at last seemed ready to talk to them.**

"**All the copies of Hogwarts, A History have been taken out," she said, sitting down next to Bella and Ron. "And there's a two-week waiting list. I wish I hadn't left my copy at home, but I couldn't fit it in my trunk with all the Lockhart books."**

'Another reason to hate him,' Fred said happily.

'Here I thought we just had Christmas.' George said.

"**Why do you want it?" said Bella.**

"**The same reason everyone else wants it," said Hermione, "to read up on the legend of the Chamber of Secrets."**

"**What's that?" said Bella quickly.**

"**That's just it. I can't remember," said Hermione, biting her lip.**

'Gasp,' cried the twins together.

'Hermione not remember something.' Fred said.

'Say it ain't so!' George cried holding his hand to his forehead as though fainting.

Hermione blushed.

'You idiots,' Bella said. 'Even Hermione isn't perfect.'

**"And I can't find the story anywhere else —"**

"**Hermione, let me read your composition," said Ron desperately, checking his watch.**

"**No, I won't," said Hermione, suddenly severe. "You've had ten days to finish it —"**

"**I only need another two inches, come on —"**

**The bell rang. Ron and Hermione led the way to History of Magic, bickering.**

Bella sighed. Ron and Hermione scowled at each other.

**History of Magic was the dullest subject on their schedule. Professor Binns, who taught it, was their only ghost teacher, and the most exciting thing that ever happened in his classes was his entering the room through the blackboard. Ancient and shrivelled, many people said he hadn't noticed he was dead. He had simply got up to teach one day and left his body behind him in an armchair in front of the staff room fire; his routine had not varied in the slightest since.**

'He does know he's dead,' Dumbledore informed them. They all nodded at the news.

**Today was as boring as ever. Professor Binns opened his notes and began to read in a flat drone like an old vacuum cleaner until nearly everyone in the class was in a deep stupor, occasionally coming to long enough to copy down a name or date, then falling asleep again. He had been speaking for half an hour when something happened that had never happened before. Hermione put up her hand.**

Everyone who wasn't there looked at her curiosity. She grinned sheepishly.

**Professor Binns, glancing up in the middle of a deadly dull lecture on the International Warlock Convention of 1289, looked amazed.**

"**Miss — er —?"**

"**Granger, Professor. I was wondering if you could tell us anything about the Chamber of Secrets," said Hermione in a clear voice.**

'I doubt he'll do it.' Remus said with a frown on his face.

**Dean Thomas, who had been sitting with his mouth hanging open, gazing out of the window, jerked out of his trance; Lavender Brown's head came up off her arms and Neville Longbottom's elbow slipped off his desk.**

Neville blushed.

**Professor Binns blinked.**

"**My subject is History of Magic," he said in his dry, wheezy voice. "I deal with facts, Miss Granger, not myths and legends." He cleared his throat with a small noise like chalk slipping and continued, "In September of that year, a subcommittee of Sardinian sorcerers —"**

**He stuttered to a halt. Hermione's hand was waving in the air again.**

'God Hermione when you want something you fight for it,' said Sirius with a smile.

'Of course,' she said grinning 'I am almost as stubborn as Bella.'

'Hey!' said Bella indigently.

'Hermione that's a bit far,' joked Ron, 'the last stubbornness person on the planet was only half of Bella now.'

'Oi!'

'True,' agreed Hermione

'What is this pick on Bella day!' she huffed

'Yep and times frozen so it'll last even longer!' said Fred.

'Brilliant.' Bella glared at them all. But they just laughed at her.

'Sirius, you're my godfather say something!'

'But, their right Bella,' Sirius teased.

Bella just looked shocked.

'Sirius!' she said.

'Yes Bells?' he replied still laughing.

'I think I want Remus to be my godfather from now on,' she teased her godfather. This caused another round of laughter.

'Well tough.' said Sirius 'you can't trade it's against the rules, besides you love me anyway.' He said giving Bella puppy dog eyes.

'I suppose,' said Bella smirking at her godfather.

"**Miss Grant?"**

"**Please, sir, don't legends always have a basis in fact?"**

'I have a feeling that's going to come back to haunt you.' Ron snickered. Hermione wrote it down.

**Professor Binns was looking at her in such amazement, Bella was sure no student had ever interrupted him before, alive or dead.**

'Well not many,' Remus said looking at Sirius and smiling sadly. Bella guessed Sirius and her father had.

"**Well," said Professor Binns slowly, "yes, one could argue that, I suppose." He peered at Hermione as though he had never seen a student properly before. "However, the legend of which you speak is such a very sensational, even ludicrous tale —"**

****'That's actually true.' Bella said.

**But the whole class was now hanging on Professor Binns's every word. He looked dimly at them all, every face turned to his. Bella could tell he was completely thrown by such an unusual show of interest.**

'That'll get him hook line and sinker.' Sirius said rubbing his hands together.

"**Oh, very well," he said slowly. "Let me see… the Chamber of Secrets… You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago — the precise date is uncertain — by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age. The four school Houses are named after them: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. They built this castle together, far from prying Muggle eyes, for it was an age when magic was feared by common people, and witches and wizards suffered much persecution."**

**He paused, gazed blearily around the room, and continued.**

"**For a few years, the founders worked in harmony together, seeking out youngsters who showed signs of magic and bringing them to the castle to be educated. But then disagreements sprang up between them. A rift began to grow between Slytherin and the others. Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed that magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. He disliked taking students of Muggle parentage, believing them to be untrustworthy. After a while, there was a serious argument on the subject between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and Slytherin left the school."**

**Professor Binns paused again, pursing his lips, looking like a wrinkled old tortoise.**

Everyone laughed at Bella's description.

"**Reliable historical sources tell us this much," he said. "But these honest facts have been obscured by the fanciful legend of the Chamber of Secrets. The story goes that Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in the castle, of which the other founders knew nothing.**

"**Slytherin, according to the legend, sealed the Chamber of Secrets so that none would be able to open it until his own true heir arrived at the school. The heir alone would be able to unseal the Chamber of Secrets, unleash the horror within, and use it to purge the school of all who were unworthy to study magic."**

**There was silence as he finished telling the story, but it wasn't the usual, sleepy silence that filled Professor Binns's classes. There was unease in the air as everyone continued to watch him, hoping for more. Professor Binns looked faintly annoyed.**

"**The whole thing is arrant nonsense, of course," he said. "Naturally, the school has been searched for evidence of such a chamber, many times, by the most learned witches and wizards. **

Ron and Bella looked a little smug.

**It does not exist. A tale told to frighten the gullible."**

**Hermione's hand was back in the air.**

"**Sir — what exactly do you mean by the 'horror within' the Chamber?"**

"**That is believed to be some sort of monster, which the Heir of Slytherin alone can control," **

Hermione scowled, she should have got it then.

'You did great Hermione,' Bella said smiling at her friend warmly.

**said Professor Binns in his dry, reedy voice.**

**The class exchanged nervous looks.**

"**I tell you, the thing does not exist," said Professor Binns, shuffling his notes. "There is no Chamber and no monster."**

'Does he know we were right and there is a chamber, Professor?' Hermione asked the teachers mainly McGonagall and Dumbledore.

'I don't believe he does, however I don't think it is worth informing him.' Dumbledore said smiling.

"**But, sir," said Seamus Finnigan, "if the Chamber can only be opened by Slytherin's true heir, no one else would be able to find it, would they?"**

"**Nonsense, O'Flaherty," said Professor Binns in an aggravated tone. "If a long succession of Hogwarts headmasters and headmistresses haven't found the thing —"**

"**But, Professor," piped up Parvati Patil, "you'd probably have to use Dark Magic to open it —"**.

"**Just because a wizard doesn't use Dark Magic doesn't mean he can't, Miss Pennyfeather," snapped Professor Binns. "I repeat, if the likes of Dumbledore —"**

Dumbledore felt flattered at Binns's complement.

'Wow sir he knows your name!' said Fred in awe.

'Your real name.' said George.

"**But maybe you've got to be related to Slytherin, so Dumbledore couldn't —" began Dean Thomas, but Professor Binns had had enough.**

"**That will do," he said sharply. "It is a myth! It does not exist! There is not a shred of evidence that Slytherin ever built so much as a secret broom cupboard! I regret telling you such a foolish story! We will return, if you please, to history, to solid, believable, verifiable fact!"**

**And within five minutes, the class had sunk back into its usual torpor.**

The Weasley boys all snickered.

"**I always knew Salazar Slytherin was a twisted old loony," Ron told Bella and Hermione as they fought their way through the teeming corridors at the end of the lesson to drop off their bags before dinner. "But I never knew he started all this pure-blood stuff. I wouldn't be in his house if you paid me. Honestly, if the Sorting Hat had tried to put me in Slytherin, I'd've got the train straight back home…"**

**Hermione nodded fervently, but Bella didn't say anything. Her stomach had just dropped unpleasantly.**

'Sorry,' they both murmured.

**Bella had never told Ron and Hermione that the Sorting Hat had seriously considered putting her in Slytherin. She could remember, as though it were yesterday, the small voice that had spoken in her ear when she'd placed the hat on her head a year before: You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin would help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that…**

Ron rolled his eyes at that.

'Did you really think we wouldn't talk to you over that?' he said raising his eyebrows, Bella blushed and he shook his head fondly at her, ruffling her hair.

'Oi! Lay off!' Bella hissed trying to put it back.

'You are such a girl,' Ron snickered.

'Know duh,' Bella said.

**But Bella, who had already heard of Slytherin House's reputation for turning out Dark wizards, had thought desperately, Not Slytherin! and the hat had said, Oh, well, if you're sure… better be Gryffindor…**

**As they were shunted along in the throng, Colin Creevey went past.**

"**Hiya, Bella!"**

"**Hullo, Colin," said Bella automatically.**

"**Bella — Bella — a boy in my class has been saying you're —"**

'The heir of Slytherin,' said everyone who was there besides Percy scowling, Ginny still looked a little pale.

**But Colin was so small he couldn't fight against the tide of people bearing him toward the Great Hall; they heard him squeak, "See you, Bella!" and he was gone.**

"**What's a boy in his class saying about you?" Hermione wondered.**

"**That I'm Slytherin's heir, I expect," said Bella, her stomach dropping another inch or so as she suddenly remembered the way Justin Finch-Fletchley had run away from her at lunchtime.**

'Idiot,' Ron grumbled.

**The crowd thinned and they were able to climb the next staircase without difficulty.**

"**D'you really think there's a Chamber of Secrets?" Ron asked Hermione.**

"**I don't know," she said, frowning. "Dumbledore couldn't cure Mrs. Norris, and that makes me think that whatever attacked her might not be — well — human."**

'Ah Miss Granger, I cannot solve everything.' He said gently. She nodded going a little pink.

**As she spoke, they turned a corner and found themselves at the end of the very corridor where the attack had happened. They stopped and looked. The scene was just as it had been that night, except that there was no stiff cat hanging from the torch bracket, and an empty chair stood against the wall bearing the message "The Chamber of Secrets has been Opened."**

"**That's where Filch has been keeping guard," Ron muttered.**

**They looked at each other. The corridor was deserted.**

"**Can't hurt to have a poke around," said Bella, dropping her bag and getting to her hands and knees so that she could crawl along, searching for clues.**

The adults looked at her sternly, the kids rolled their eyes.

"**Scorch marks!" she said. "Here — and here —"**

"**Come and look at this!" said Hermione. "This is funny…"**

**Bella got up and crossed to the window next to the message on the wall. Hermione was pointing at the topmost pane, where around twenty spiders were scuttling, apparently fighting to get through a small crack. A long, silvery thread was dangling like a rope, as though they had all climbed it in their hurry to get outside.**

Hermione hit her head in frustration how had she not seen this.

'We didn't know Hermione, hindsight,' Bella soothed. 'Everyone got out alright anyway.'

"**Have you ever seen spiders act like that?" said Hermione wonderingly.**

"**No," said Bella, "have you, Ron? Ron?"**

**She looked over her shoulder. Ron was standing well back and seemed to be fighting the impulse to run.**

"**What's up?" said Bella.**

"**I — don't — like — spiders," said Ron tensely.**

Fred looked a little guilty.

"**I never knew that," said Hermione, looking at Ron in surprise. "You've used spiders in Potions loads of times…"**

"**I don't mind them dead," said Ron, who was carefully looking anywhere but at the window. "I just don't like the way they move…"**

**Hermione giggled.**

**"It's not funny," said Ron, fiercely. "If you must know, when I was three, Fred turned my — my teddy bear into a great big filthy spider because I broke his toy broomstick… You wouldn't like them either if you'd been holding your bear and suddenly it had too many legs and…"**

I didn't have a bear so I wouldn't know, Bella thought bitterly.

**He broke off, shuddering. Hermione was obviously still trying not to laugh.**

Ron scowled at Hermione, and then glared at Fred.

**Feeling they had better get off the subject, Bella said, "Remember all that water on the floor? Where did that come from? Someone's mopped it up."**

"**It was about here," said Ron, recovering himself to walk a few paces past Filch's chair and pointing. "Level with this door."**

**He reached for the brass doorknob but suddenly withdrew his hand as though he'd been burned.**

Percy scowled knowing what door it was.

"**What's the matter?" said Bella.**

"**Can't go in there," said Ron gruffly. "That's a girls' toilet."**

"**Oh, Ron, there won't be anyone in there," said Hermione standing up and coming over. "That's Moaning Myrtle's place."**

"**Besides you went in a girls' toilet last Halloween." Bella said grinning. **

"**That was different," Ron said grinning now too. **

"**Come on, let's have a look." Bella said. **

**And ignoring the large OUT OF ORDER sign, she opened the door.**

**It was the gloomiest, most depressing bathroom Bella had ever set foot in. Under a large, cracked, and spotted mirror were a row of chipped sinks. The floor was damp and reflected the dull light given off by the stubs of a few candles, burning low in their holders; the wooden doors to the stalls were flaking and scratched and one of them was dangling off its hinges.**

**Hermione put her fingers to her lips and set off toward the end stall. When she reached it she said, "Hello, Myrtle, how are you?"**

**Bella and Ron went to look. Moaning Myrtle was floating above the tank of the toilet, picking a spot on her chin.**

'Poor Myrtle,' sighed Bella.

"**This is a girls' bathroom," she said, eyeing Ron suspiciously. "He is not a girl."**

"**No," Hermione agreed. "I just wanted to show him how er — nice it is in here."**

**She waved vaguely at the dirty old mirror and the damp floor.**

'Yeah real nice,' snorted Charlie.

"**Ask her if she saw anything," Bella mouthed at Hermione.**

"**What are you whispering?" said Myrtle, staring at her.**

"**Nothing," said Bella quickly. "We wanted to ask —"**

"**I wish people would stop talking behind my back!" said Myrtle, in a voice choked with tears. "I do have feelings, you know, even if I am dead —"**

"**Myrtle, no one wants to upset you," said Hermione. "Bella only —"**

"**No one wants to upset me! That's a good one!" howled Myrtle. "My life was nothing but misery at this place and now people come along ruining my death!"**

'It takes that much to set her off?' said Neville shocked. The trio nodded.

**"We wanted to ask you if you've seen anything funny lately," said Hermione quickly. "Because a cat was attacked right outside your front door on Halloween."**

"**Did you see anyone near here that night?" said Bella.**

"**I wasn't paying attention," said Myrtle dramatically. "Peeves upset me so much I came in here and tried to kill myself. Then, of course, I remembered that I'm — that I'm —"**

"**Already dead," said Ron helpfully.**

The girls rolled their eyes.

**Myrtle gave a tragic sob, rose up in the air, turned over, and dived headfirst into the toilet, splashing water all over them and vanishing from sight, although from the direction of her muffled sobs, she had come to rest somewhere in the U-bend.**

**Bella and Ron stood with their mouths open, but Hermione shrugged wearily and said, "Honestly, that was almost cheerful for Myrtle… Come on, let's go."**

**Bella had barely closed the door on Myrtle's gurgling sobs when a loud voice made all three of them jump.**

"**RON!"**

'Ah the prats there,' muttered Ron.

**Percy Weasley **

The twins scowled at their older brother.

**had stopped dead at the head of the stairs, prefect badge agleam, an expression of complete shock on his face.**

"**That's a girls' bathroom!" he gasped. "What were you —?"**

"**Just having a look around," Ron shrugged. "Clues, you know —"**

**Percy swelled in a manner that reminded Bella forcefully of Mrs. Weasley.**

"**Get — away — from — there —" Perry said, striding toward them and starting to bustle them along, flapping his arms. "Don't you care what this looks like? Coming back here while everyone's at dinner —"**

'Wow you and Fudge really get on great,' Ron snapped at him. 'How things _look_.'

Percy went to retort but Mad eye kept reading.

"**Why shouldn't we be here?" said Ron hotly, stopping short and glaring at Percy. "Listen, we never laid a finger on that cat!"**

"**That's what I told Ginny," said Percy fiercely, "but she still seems to think you're going to be expelled, I've never seen her so upset, crying her eyes out, you might think of her, all the first years are thoroughly overexcited by this business —"**

'So I am just a silly first year I'm I?' Ginny hissed at him, Percy's neck went red and he didn't look into his sister's face.

"**You don't care about Ginny," said Ron, whose ears were now reddening. "You're just worried I'm going to mess up your chances of being Head Boy —"**

"**Five points from Gryffindor!" Percy said tersely, fingering his prefect badge. "And I hope it teaches you a lesson! No more detective work, or I'll write to Mum!"**

**And he strode off, the back of his neck as red as Ron's ears.**

**Bella, Ron, and Hermione chose seats as far as possible from Percy in the common room that night. Ron was still in a very bad temper and kept blotting his Charms homework. When he reached absently for his wand to remove the smudges, it ignited the parchment. Fuming almost as much as his homework, Ron slammed The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 shut. To Bella's surprise, Hermione followed suit.**

'Hermione's coming to the light side!' cried Fred

'Hurray,' George cheered. Hermione looked amused but otherwise didn't comment.

"**Who can it be, though?" she said in a quiet voice, as though continuing a conversation they had just been having. "Who'd want to frighten all the Squibs and Muggle-borns out of Hogwarts?"**

"**Let's think," said Ron in mock puzzlement. "Who do we know who thinks Muggle-borns are scum?"**

Draco smirked arrogantly, knowing they'd think it was him.

**She looked at Hermione. Hermione looked back, unconvinced.**

"**If you're talking about Malfoy —"**

**"Of course I am!" said Ron. "You heard him — 'You'll be next, Mudbloods!'— come on, you've only got to look at his foul rat face**

'Ferret face Ronald,' Ginny scolded him teasingly.

Ron snorted as Malfoy went pink.

**to know it's him —"**

"**Malfoy, the Heir of Slytherin?" said Hermione sceptically.**

"**Look at his family," said Bella, closing her books, too. "The whole lot of them have been in Slytherin; he's always boasting about it. They could easily be Slytherin's descendants. His father's definitely evil enough." **

Bella nodded agreeing with her statement.

**"They could've had the key to the Chamber of Secrets for centuries!" said Ron. "Handing it down, father to son…"**

"**Well," said Hermione cautiously, "I suppose it's possible…"**

"**But how do we prove it?" said Bella darkly.**

"**There might be a way," said Hermione slowly, dropping her voice still further with a quick glance across the room at Percy. **

They all scowled at him, Mrs Weasley's eyes filled with tears she couldn't look at her third son.

**"Of course, it would be difficult. And dangerous, very dangerous. We'd be breaking about fifty school rules, I expect —"**

"**If, in a month or so, you feel like explaining, you will let us know, won't you?" said Ron irritably.**

Bella snorted.

"**All right," said Hermione coldly. "What we'd need to do is to get inside the Slytherin common room and ask Malfoy a few questions without him realising it's us."**

"**But that's impossible," Bella said as Ron laughed.**

"**No, it's not," said Hermione. "All we'd need would be some Polyjuice Potion."**

'GRANGER DO YOU KNOW HOW COMPLICATED THAT IS? HOW DANGEROUS FOR EVEN FOR OWL YEAR THAT POITION IS! –'

'LEAVE HER ALONE!' Bella bellowed over the top of her potions teacher. 'IT'S DONE! WE'VE ALREADY DONE IT SO SHUT UP!'

'HOW DARE YOU TALK TO ME LIKE THAT POTTER!' he snarled.

There was a loud bang and everyone turned to Dumbledore.

'That is enough from both of you,' he said surveying both Bella and Snape.

'Alastor can you continue?' he asked Moody who grunted and continued on.

"**What's that?" said Ron and Bella together, Bella faking that she did not know the potion. **

Everyone who cared for her scowled she smiled back sheepishly.

"**Snape mentioned it in class a few weeks ago —"**

"**D'you think we've got nothing better to do in Potions than listen to Snape?" muttered Ron.**

The twins snorted and high fived there brother.

"**It transforms you into somebody else. Think about it! We could change into three of the Slytherins. No one would know it was us. Malfoy would probably tell us anything. He's probably boasting about it in the Slytherin common room right now, if only we could hear him."**

'So that's how you got in the Slytherin common room.' Sirius said grinning.

"**This Polyjuice stuff sounds a bit dodgy to me," said Ron, frowning. "What if we were stuck looking like three of the Slytherins forever?"**

**"It wears off after a while," said Hermione, waving her hand impatiently. "But getting hold of the recipe will be very difficult. Snape said it was in a book called Moste Potente Potions**

'See you gave us pretty much everything anyway,' Bella said. Snape just scowled at her that made first years cry.

**and it's bound to be in the Restricted Section of the library." There was only one way to get out a book from the Restricted Section: You needed a signed note of permission from a teacher. "Hard to see why we'd want the book, really," said Ron, "if we weren't going to try and make one of the potions."**

"**I think," said Hermione, "that if we made it sound as though we were just interested in the theory, we might stand a chance…**

"**Oh, come on, no teacher's going to fall for that," said Ron. "They'd have to be really thick…"**

'Lockhart,' said everyone all in different tones. Some excited, nervous, exasperated, irritated. Bella just smiled at them all innocently.

'That's it,' said Moody.

'Here,' said Fred.

"**The Rouge Bludger" **

_**Hey everyone hope you liked it if anyone thought I was being racist truly I was not. I think that the dark skin is really pretty/handsome. So yeah no racism just my opinion on government going too far. **_

_**Love you **__**all**__** no matter you shape size gender or race :P **_

_**Please review! :p xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_


	10. The Rouge Bludger

"**The Rogue Bludger" **read Fred.

'What!' cried Remus. Everyone could hear the stress in his voice. He sat with his head in his hands. Bella gets into the wrong sort of trouble, he thought.

'Why isn't it pranking? Not dangerous like you get into?' moaned Sirius. 'Why do you go looking for trouble?' he asked Bella.

'I don't,' huffed Bella 'Trouble finds me! And I dunno,' her voice turned joking. 'An angry McGonagall is pretty dangerous; I think I'd rather face the dragon again.'

'You are aware that I am in the room, Potter,' McGonagall said, her eyebrows raised.

'Yes, Professor I know,' she said grinning.

**Since the disastrous episode of the pixies, Professor Lockhart had not brought live creatures to class. Instead, he read passages from his books to them,**

'Please spare us the details,' Snape said, dryly.

**and sometimes re-enacted some of the more dramatic bits. **

'Can we have the hair pulling pixie's please instead,' said Neville 'You know the ones that tied me to the chandelier much better than that wank– '

'MR LONGBOTTOM!' said Professor McGonagall.

'Sorry professor,' he mumbled.

Malfoy grinned, Longbottom was pathetic.

**He usually picked Bella to help him with these reconstructions; so far, **

Ron and Neville snickered, she glared at them.

**Bella had been forced to play a simple Transylvanian villager whom Lockhart had cured of a Babbling Curse, a yeti with a head cold, and a vampire who had been unable to eat anything except lettuce since Lockhart had dealt with him.**

Many people were shaking their heads.

'I can even remember half of this,' muttered Bella.

'You probably repressed it from your memory,' Hermione laughed.

'Something like that,' Bella agreed laughing.

'Warcksprats got you?' Luna asked sympathetically.

'Sure, Luna,' Bella laughed as Hermione scowled.

**Bella was hauled to the front of the class during their very next Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson, this time acting a werewolf.**

The group grinned at Remus, who chuckled, but it didn't quite meet his eyes.

**If she hadn't had a very good reason for keeping Lockhart in a good mood, she would have refused to do it.**

'Thanks Bells, any other creature sure straight away,' said Remus, jokingly

'Like I said earlier a part of my subconscious remembered you,' Bella smiled, remembering the vague dream she had next year.

"**Nice loud howl, Bella — exactly — and then, if you'll believe it, I pounced — like this — slammed him to the floor — thus with one hand, I managed to hold him down — with my other, I put my wand to his throat — I then screwed up my remaining strength and performed the immensely complex Homorphus Charm - he let out a piteous moan — go on, Bella — higher than that — good**

'That just sounds wrong,' Ron snorted.

Bella felt her face growing hot.

'Get your filthy mind out of the gutter, Ron!' she hissed. The twins laughed though nobody noticed (bar Fred and Remus) that George's was rather false.

— **the fur vanished — the fangs shrank — and he turned back into a man. Simple, yet effective — and another village will remember me forever as the hero who delivered them from the monthly terror of werewolf attacks."**

Remus rolled his eyes.

**The bell rang and Lockhart got to his feet.**

"**Homework — compose a poem about my defeat of the Wagga Wagga Werewolf! Signed copies of Magical Me to the author of the best one!"**

'So, only the girls tried on that one,' sniggered Ron, earning him a whack from Bella.

'Besides you, Bells,' he said, then smirked. 'You only moan at him – Bella! NO! I'm sorry! – Someone help me!' Bella had leapt onto her best friend, pinning him to the floor. Now, she was trying to get her hands around his throat.

'RONALD WEASLEY!' she screamed furiously. She looked at Dumbledore. 'Sir, my wand!'

Dumbledore shook his head Bella, looking slightly amused. She growled in frustration and then continued to try and strangle Ron.

'Ouch! Bella! Can someone help me!' Ron was yelling. Fred and George got up and restrained Bella, who was still glaring furiously at Ron.

'You're going to wish I'd given you to Voldemort!' she screeched. Ron winced, remembering last time she had said that he had publically humiliated her and Cedric, who had been snogging. Hermione laughed remembering.

'This time I will hit where I planned,' she promised. The twins finally managed to detach Bella off of Ron, who scrambled to his feet.

'George, do you mind if we swap seats? You know, till she's calmed down a bit,' Ron said, watching Bella wearily; Everyone chuckled as the twins dragged the angry and embarrassed Bella back to her seat, where she remained glaring at Ron.

'Note to selves,' said Fred. 'Don't wind Bella up too much.'

'With or without a wand, it may be the last thing we ever do.'

Bella glared at them both.

'Time out time for the loon who lived,' Fred said.

Fred: Put her on your lap again and tell her she's having a time out.

George grinned and did as his brother said.

'Hey!' she complained as he put her on his lap again.

'Time out time for the girl who lies,' he said. She scowled, crossing her arms in defeat.

Why did she feel so comfortable here?

'Well done,' she grumbled. 'Stealing lines from the papers now are we?' he winked at her.

Percy rolled his eyes. Couldn't they see the girl was dangerous? She had just attacked Ron, for the most ridiculous reason.

**The class began to leave. Bella returned to the back of the room, where Ron and Hermione were waiting.**

"**Ready?" Bella muttered.**

"**Wait till everyone's gone," said Hermione nervously. "All right…"**

**She approached Lockhart's desk, a piece of paper clutched tightly in her hand, Bella and Ron right behind her.**

McGonagall pinched her nose. This man really was an idiot.

"**Er — Professor Lockhart?" Hermione stammered. "I wanted to — to get this book out of the library. Just for background reading." She held out the piece of paper, her hand shaking slightly. **

Hermione blushed, glad everyone had kindly ignored the comment. Malfoy went to open his mouth but his godfather nudged him warningly.

**"But the thing is, it's in the Restricted Section of the library, so I need a teacher to sign for it — I'm sure it would help me understand what you say in Gadding with Ghouls about slow-acting venoms."**

'He won't care,' scoffed Neville. 'You're asking for his autograph, that's all he needs to know."

**"Ah, Gadding with Ghouls!" said Lockhart, taking the note from Hermione and smiling widely at her. "Possibly my very favourite book. You enjoyed it?"**

"**Oh, yes," said Hermione eagerly. "So clever, the way you trapped that last one with the tea-strainer-"**

'Oh, for God sake,' groaned McGonagall.

"**Well, I'm sure no one will mind me giving the best student of the year a little extra help," said Lockhart warmly, and he pulled out an enormous peacock quill. "Yes, nice, isn't it?" he said, misreading the revolted look on Ron's face.**

Ron showed the group a demonstration of the same face.

'Yeah, I can see how he did that,' Fred said, seriously.

'The slight green tinge really makes you looked awed,' George agreed. Bella giggled on his lap.

**"I usually save it for book-signings."**

'Yeah, yeah sign the page,' Bella hissed angrily.

**He scrawled an enormous loopy signature on the note and handed it back to Hermione.**

"**So, Bella," said Lockhart,**

Sirius groaned. 'Can't he leave you alone?'

She snorted. 'No.'

**while Hermione folded the note with fumbling fingers and slipped it into her bag. "Tomorrow's the first Quidditch match of the season, I believe? Gryffindor against Slytherin, is it not? I hear you're a useful player. I was a Seeker, too.**

**I was asked to try for the National Squad, **

Snape snorted. 'Of course,' he said dryly.

**but preferred to dedicate my life to the eradication of the Dark Forces. **

'Ah huh, whatever you say,' Ginny said annoyed.

**Still, if ever you feel the need for a little private training, don't hesitate to ask. Always happy to pass on my expertise to less able players…"**

McGonagall was actually growling, her fist clenched. This man was so irritating.

**Bella made an indistinct noise in her throat and then hurried off after Ron and Hermione.**

'Good plan,' said Mr Weasley. Lockhart was really pushing his buttons and he wasn't really here! He couldn't imagine actually being in a class with him!

"**I don't believe it," she said as the three of them examined the signature on the note. "He didn't even look at the book we wanted."**

"**That's because he's a brainless git," said Ron. "But who cares, we've got what we needed—"**

"**He is not a brainless git," said Hermione shrilly as they half ran toward the library.**

The twins opened their mouth to comment. Bella nudged George's side.

'Stun practice,' she muttered under her breath.

"**Just because he said you were the best student of the year —"**

'Nah, I think it was more the brilliant blue eyes.' Said Fred

'Or the perfect teeth.'

'Or –' Fred stopped at Bella's 'remember what I said' glare. The twins fell silent and the teachers and their parents looked at her in awe.

'I don't know how and I don't care how you do it,' whispered Mr Weasley. 'But as long as someone can.'

Bella laughed. 'Can I get down now? I am calm… well I am not going to attack Ron.'

'Nope,' said George grinning. 'You have to wait till the game starts. I don't think we'll be able to keep you from Sirius then.'

Sirius groaned, running his hand through his hair.

Fred: Clever idea twin of mine,

George just rolled his eyes at him.

**They dropped their voices as they entered the muffled stillness of the library. Madam Pince, the librarian, was a thin, irritable woman who looked like an underfed vulture.**

Everyone snorted at the horrid, yet accurate description.

"**Moste Potente Potions?" she repeated suspiciously, trying to take the note from Hermione; but Hermione wouldn't let go.**

Bella and Ron sniggered.

"**I was wondering if I could keep it," she said breathlessly.**

The twins started to snicker before remembering what Bella had said and now hid smirks.

"**Oh, come on," said Ron, wrenching it from her grasp and thrusting it at Madam Pince. "We'll get you another autograph. Lockhart'll sign anything if it stands still long enough."**

More laughter.

**Madam Pince held the note up to the light, as though determined to detect a forgery, but it passed the test. She stalked away between the lofty shelves and returned several minutes later carrying a large and mouldy-looking book. Hermione put it carefully into her bag and they left, trying not to walk too quickly or look too guilty.**

'Oh, I remember that day,' said Fred grinning.

'You three scuttled off so quickly with the worst innocent faces I've ever seen,' beamed George.

'We wondered what you were up to,' Fred finished.

**Five minutes later, they were barricaded in Moaning Myrtle's out-of-order bathroom once again.**

'Why –? Oh, you're going to brew it in there,' said Remus.

**Hermione had overridden Ron's objections by pointing out that it was the last place anyone in their right minds would go, so they were guaranteed some privacy. Moaning Myrtle was crying noisily in her stall, but they were ignoring her, and she them.**

'Good place,' Moody said. 'Constant Vigilance!'

**Hermione opened Moste Potente Potions carefully, and the three of them bent over the damp-spotted pages. It was clear from a glance why it belonged in the Restricted Section. Some of the potions had effects almost too gruesome to think about, and there were some very unpleasant illustrations, which included a man who seemed to have been turned inside out and a witch sprouting several extra pairs of arms out of her head.**

Everyone grimaced at the thought.

"**Here it is," said Hermione excitedly as she found the page headed The Polyjuice Potion. It was decorated with drawings of people halfway through transforming into other people. Bella sincerely hoped the artist had imagined the looks of intense pain on their faces.**

People looked at them.

'It's not,' Bella told them. 'But not as bad as the taste,' said Bella grimacing.

"**This is the most complicated potion I've ever seen," said Hermione as they scanned the recipe. **

'Well it will be for a second year,' sneered Snape.

'Yeah and Hermione still made it perfectly,' Bella snapped.

'Could you have made it Potter?' he said.

'I think so but I would have needed some help and I didn't want to seem like I knew it, however if Hermione did something wrong which is very unlikely, I would have helped out.' Bella said, ignoring the stunned and angry looks.

"**Lacewing flies, leeches, fluxweed, and knotgrass," she murmured, running her finger down the list of ingredients. "Well, they're easy enough, they're in the student store-cupboard, we can help ourselves… Oooh, look, powdered horn of a bicorn — don't know where we're going to get that — shredded skin of a boomslang — that'll be tricky, too and of course a bit of whoever we want to change into."**

"**Excuse me?" said Ron sharply. "What d'you mean, a bit of whoever we're changing into? I'm drinking nothing with Crabbe's toenails in it —"**

'Yuck,' Ginny said pulling a face, determined to try and act normal.

**Hermione continued as though she hadn't heard him.**

"**We don't have to worry about that yet, though, because we add those bits last…"**

**Ron turned, speechless, to Bella, who had another worry.**

'What's more worrying then Slytherin toenails?' said Sirius.

Bella looked at him seriously and nodded slowly.

'Lockhart's fascination with pink,' she said, straight faced, making everyone laugh.

"**D'you realise how much we're going to have to steal, Hermione? Shredded skin of a boomslang, that's definitely not in the students' cupboard. What're we going to do, break into Snape's private stores? I don't know if this is a good idea…"**

'It was you!' snarled Snape at Bella. Bella smiled innocently at him, then looked away as his face began to turn into a snarl.

'Severus,' Dumbledore said warningly.

**Hermione shut the book with a snap.**

"**Well, if you two are going to chicken out, fine," she said. There were bright pink patches on her cheeks and her eyes were brighter than usual. "I don't want to break rules, you know. I think threatening Muggle-borns is far worse than brewing up a difficult potion. But if you don't want to find out if it's Malfoy, I'll go straight to Madam Pince now and hand the book back in."**

'So, Hermione was the one making you two break the rules,' Ginny laughed.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

'Yes I follow rules, unless they clash with my own moral rules.'

'A wise phrasing, Miss Granger,' said Dumbledore, looking amused. 'Are there any such rules presently?'

'One or two,' she said blushing at Dumbledore's direct attention to her.

"**I never thought I'd see the day when you'd be persuading us to break rules," said Ron. "All right, we'll do it. But not toenails, okay?"**

"**How long will it take to make, anyway?" said Bella as Hermione, looking happier, opened the book again.**

'Peacemaker,' Remus chuckled.

'Tell me about it, it's a miracle if we get through the day without them snapping at each other,' Bella said, ignoring her best friends glare.

"**Well, since the fluxweed has got to be picked at the full moon and the lacewings have got to be stewed for twenty-one days… I'd say it'd be ready in about a month, if we can get all the ingredients."**

"**A month?" said Ron. **"**Malfoy could have attacked half the Muggle-borns in the school by then!" But Hermione's eyes narrowed dangerously again, and he added swiftly, "But it's the best plan we've got, so full steam ahead, I say."**

'Whipped,' sniggered Fred

'Owned, hook line, and sinker,' agreed George. No one else heard this besides Bella who whispered,

'You're not wrong, they just need to stop being bloody stubborn.'

**However, while Hermione was checking that the coast was clear for them to leave the bathroom, Ron muttered to Bella, "It'll be a lot less hassle if you can just knock Malfoy off his broom tomorrow."**

A few more sniggers. Malfoy just scowled at Ron.

**Bella woke early on Saturday morning and lay for a while thinking about the coming Quidditch match. She was nervous, mainly at the thought of what Wood would say if Gryffindor lost, but also at the idea of facing a team mounted on the fastest racing brooms gold could buy. She had never wanted to beat Slytherin so badly. **

'Now you can't,' Malfoy said smugly.

'Shut it you little –'

'Don't George,' Bella said, pulling herself closer to him. 'He's not worth it.'

'That's right weasel listen to Potty.'

'Leave him, sir control your godson, before _I_ hit him,' Bella said, looking at Snape who looked at Draco as though to say 'do as I say,'. Malfoy crossed his arms and sulked.

**After half an hour of lying there with her insides churning, she got up, dressed, and went down to breakfast early, where she found the rest of the Gryffindor team huddled at the long, empty table, all looking uptight and not speaking much.**

'Hang on,' said McGonagall. Everyone looked at her.

'Those two,' she pointed at the twins, 'were not speaking!?' she said as though someone had told her hell had officially froze over.

They huffed. 'We can be quiet,' said Fred

'I admit it's mostly when were asleep however –' added George with a smirk.

'We do stay quiet sometimes, Minnie,' said Fred. McGonagall groaned and looked at Sirius.

'I still blame you,' she said, glaring at her ex pupil.

**As eleven o'clock approached, the whole school started to make its way down to the Quidditch stadium. It was a muggy sort of day with a hint of thunder in the air. Ron and Hermione came hurrying over to wish Bella good luck as she entered the locker rooms. The team pulled on their scarlet Gryffindor robes, then sat down to listen to Wood's usual pre-match pep talk. **

'Always good,' Bella said, rolling her eyes.

"**Slytherin has better brooms than us," he began. "No point denying it. But we've got better people on our brooms. We've trained harder than they have, we've been flying in all weathers —"**

**"Too true," muttered George Weasley. "I haven't been properly dry since August"**

Most of the teens, especially the boys and Bella, snorted loudly.

'We've corrupted you!' cried Ron happily at his friend.

'When it's not about me I don't care if your minds in the gutter... but I'm still getting revenge.' Ron gulped and nodded weakly.

'Ok we have done our job,' said Fred, getting up from his seat, signalling at his brother to do the same. 'Sirius she's all yours for the game. But we may steal her back.' With a wink, they both returned to their original seats. Sirius saluted them amused. Remus smile was amused; he knew what they were doing.

**"— and we're going to make them rue the day they let that little bit of slime, Malfoy, buy his way onto their team."**

**Chest heaving with emotion, Wood turned to Bella.**

"**It'll be down to you, Bella, to show them that a Seeker has to have something more than a rich father. Get to that Snitch before Malfoy or die trying,**

'Famous last words,' groaned George, pinching his nose.

'To right,' agreed Fred 'He didn't mean it literally you know.' He looked at Bella, who blushed.

'I think don't even want to know,' said Mrs Weasley, lifting up her hands in surrender. Remus was pinching his nose. Sirius wrapped an arm around Bella, who sighed, but snuggled closer to him.

'You really are going overboard you know?' she whispered to him.

**Bella, because we've got to win today, we've got to."**

"**So no pressure, Bella," said Fred, winking at her.**

**As they walked out onto the pitch, a roar of noise greeted them; mainly cheers, because Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were anxious to see Slytherin beaten, but the Slytherins in the crowd made their boos and hisses heard, too. Madam Hooch, the Quidditch teacher, asked Flint and Wood to shake hands, which they did, giving each other threatening stares and gripping rather harder than was necessary.**

'The hand-crush battle,' Charlie said seriously. 'I remember it well.'

"**On my whistle," said Madam Hooch. "Three… two… one…"**

**With a roar from the crowd to speed them upward, the fourteen players rose toward the leaden sky. Bella flew higher than any of them, squinting around for the Snitch.**

**"All right there, Scarhead?"**

'Fabulous insult,' Bella said sarcastically. 'How long did it take you to come up with that?'

Malfoy sneered at her.

**yelled Malfoy, shooting underneath him as though to show off the speed of his broom.**

**Bella had no time to reply. At that very moment, a heavy black Bludger came pelting toward her; she avoided it so narrowly that she felt it ruffle her hair as it passed.**

Bella heard Mrs Weasley's sharp intake of breathe.

"**Close one, Bella!" said George, streaking past her with his club in his hand, ready to knock the Bludger back toward a Slytherin. Bella saw George give the Bludger a powerful whack in the direction of Adrian Pucey, but the Bludger changed direction in midair and shot straight for Bella again.**

Remus groaned, putting his head in his hands.

**Bella dropped quickly to avoid it, and George managed to hit it hard toward Malfoy. Once again, the Bludger swerved like a boomerang and shot at Bella's head.**

**Bella put on a burst of speed and zoomed toward the other end of the pitch. She could hear the Bludger whistling along behind her. What was going on? Bludgers never concentrated on one player like this; it was their job to try and unseat as many people as possible…**

Unless a crazy house-elf wants to save your life, Bella thought as she sighed.

**Fred Weasley was waiting for the Bludger at the other end. Bella ducked as Fred swung at the Bludger with all his might; the Bludger was knocked off course.**

'Well it didn't work did it,' smirked Malfoy

'Yeah,' smirked Bella 'And I still got the snitch,'

'With broken arm,' said Fred, shaking his head. Bella shrugged.

'That wouldn't have been a problem,' Bella said.

"**Gotcha!" Fred yelled happily, but he was wrong; as though it was magnetically attracted to Bella, the Bludger pelted after her once more and Bella was forced to fly off at full speed.**

**It had started to rain; Bella felt heavy drops fall onto her face, splattering onto her glasses.**

'That's one really irritating thing about glasses,' said Bella, annoyed. They smashed, you couldn't see without them, and sometimes you couldn't see with them. 'I am glad I got rid of mine,' she said.

**She didn't have a clue what was going on in the rest of the game until she heard Lee Jordan, who was commentating, say, "Slytherin lead, sixty points to zero."**

Bill and Charlie groaned.

**The Slytherins' superior brooms were clearly doing their jobs, and meanwhile the mad Bludger was doing all it could to knock Bella out of the air. Fred and George were now flying so close to her on either side that Bella could see nothing at all except their flailing arms and had no chance to look for the Snitch, let alone catch it.**

"**Someone's — tampered — with — this — Bludger —" Fred grunted, swinging his bat with all his might at it as it launched a new attack on Bella.**

Fred sighed. Why did everything happen to his little sister? Well, the black haired one. Ginny had been through too much.

"**We need time out," said George, trying to signal to Wood and stop the Bludger breaking Bella's nose at the same time.**

'Did you say broken arm?' said Mrs Weasley worriedly, remembering when they were arguing with Malfoy.

'Originally,' grumbled Bella

'What –?'

'Lockhart,' explained McGonagall grimly. Remus and Sirius groaned. This wasn't going to end well.

**Wood had obviously got the message. Madam Hooch's whistle rang out and Bella, Fred, and George dived for the ground, still trying to avoid the mad Bludger.**

"**What's going on?" said Wood as the Gryffindor team huddled together, while Slytherins in the crowd jeered. "We're being flattened. Fred, George, where were you when that Bludger stopped Angelina scoring?"**

'Saving Bella's life,' said George angrily.

'Thanks by way,' said Bella smiling

'You seem to be saying that a lot,' said Fred grinning.

'Who caught me the next year?' she asked curiously, causing Sirius to clutch her tighter. She ignored him.

'That would have been me,' said Dumbledore unsmiling.

'Well... thank you, sir.'

"**We were twenty feet above her, stopping the other Bludger from murdering Bella, Oliver," said George angrily. "Someone's fixed it — it won't leave Bella alone. It hasn't gone for anyone else all game. The Slytherins must have done something to it."**

"**But the Bludgers have been locked in Madam Hooch's office since our last practice, and there was nothing wrong with them then…" said Wood, anxiously. **

McGonagall sighed, wishing she could have helped.

**Madam Hooch was walking toward them. Over her shoulder, Bella could see the Slytherin team jeering and pointing in her direction.**

"**Listen," said Bella as she came nearer and nearer, "with you two flying around me all the time the only way I'm going to catch the Snitch is if it flies up my sleeve. Go back to the rest of the team and let me deal with the rogue one."**

'BELLA!' yelled Mrs Weasley

'It's the past Molly,' said Mr Weasley, trying to comfort his wife.

'I don't care,' she said 'They better not have let you,' she growled.

"**Don't be thick," said Fred. "It'll take your head off."**

"**Oliver, this is insane," said Alicia Spinner angrily. "You can't let Bella deal with that thing on her own. Let's ask for an inquiry…"**

"**If we stop now, we'll have to forfeit the match!" said Bella. "And we're not losing to Slytherin just because of a crazy Bludger! Come on, Oliver, tell them to leave me alone!"**

Ron clipped his best friend over the head. 'Idiot,' he grumbled.

'Thanks,' she said, beaming at him.

"**This is all your fault," George said angrily to Wood. "'Get the Snitch or die trying,' what a stupid thing to tell her —"**

'Yes, it was,' said McGonagall frowning at the book.

**Madam Hooch had joined them.**

"**Ready to resume play?" she asked Wood.**

**Wood looked at the determined look on Bella's face.**

"**All right," he said. "Fred, George, you heard Bella — leave her alone and let her deal with the Bludger on her own."**

The adults who cared for her groaned in anger and frustration.

**The rain was falling more heavily now. On Madam Hooch's whistle, Bella kicked hard into the air and heard the telltale whoosh of the Bludger behind her. Higher and higher Bella climbed; she looped and swooped, spiralled, zigzagged, and rolled. Slightly dizzy, she nevertheless kept her eyes wide open, rain was speckling her glasses and ran up her nostrils as she hung upside down, avoiding another fierce dive from the Bludger. She could hear laughter from the crowd; she knew she must look very stupid,**

'Actually it looked really graceful,' Hermione said. 'A bit like with the planes that spin and stuff.'

**but the rogue Bludger was heavy and couldn't change direction as quickly as Bella could; she began a kind of roller-coaster ride around the edges of the stadium, squinting through the silver sheets of rain to the Gryffindor goal posts, where Adrian Pucey was trying to get past Wood.**

**A whistling in Bella's ear told her the Bludger had just missed her again; she turned right over and sped in the opposite direction.**

"**Training for the ballet, Potter?" yelled Malfoy**

'Yeah it's called wizards on brooms, new Muggle musical,' she said sarcastically.

**as Bella was forced to do a stupid kind of twirl in midair to dodge the Bludger, and she fled, the Bludger trailing a few feet behind her; and then, glaring back at Malfoy in hatred, she saw it — the Golden Snitch. It was hovering inches above Malfoy's left ear — and Malfoy, busy laughing at Bella, hadn't seen it.**

**For an agonizing moment, Bella hung in midair, not daring to speed toward Malfoy in case he looked up and saw the Snitch.**

**WHAM.**

Sirius pulled her back onto his lap, but she had had enough. Yanking herself from his grip, she started yelling.

'SIRIUS BLACK THIS IS RIDICULOUS!' she yelled at him. 'In case you haven't noticed I am able to look after myself. I've been doing it for years so calm down. It is_ past_! I AM OBVIOUSLY FINE! And as you have already pointed out yourself Sirius. I am not a child and have faced as much as the Order and more than some. So stop treating me like a one! I already said I didn't mind for the really dangerous stuff at the end of the year but NOT FOR EVERY LITTLE THING!' she was panting by the end.

Everyone blinked at her.

'Wow,' said Charlie. 'You got some lungs on you.'

Bella blushed, but still looked annoyed.

'Alright, I'll try, it's just hard hearing you were in so much trouble.'

She smiled at him and then looked at Fred to continue.

**She had stayed still a second too long. The Bludger had hit her at last, smashed into her elbow, and Bella felt her arm break.**

'Ouch,' or sympathetic groans filled the air of Grimmauled Place's kitchen.

**Dimly, dazed by the searing pain in her arm, she slid sideways on her rain-drenched broom, one knee still crooked over it, her right arm dangling useless at her side — the Bludger came pelting back for a second attack, this time zooming at her face — Bella swerved out of the way, one idea firmly lodged in her numb brain: get to Malfoy.**

'You're still playing?' Remus said in shock.

'Course.'

**Through a haze of rain and pain she dived for the shimmering, sneering face below her and saw its eyes widen with fear: Malfoy thought Bella was attacking her.**

'Why would she attack you in the middle of the game?' asked Luna

'I dunno do I, Loony?' snapped Malfoy.

'Don't call her that!' snapped Ginny

"**What the —" he gasped, careening out of Bella's way.**

**Bella took her remaining hand off her broom and made a wild snatch; she felt her fingers close on the cold Snitch but was now only gripping the broom with her legs, and there was a yell from the crowd below as she headed straight for the ground, trying hard not to pass out.**

'Maybe it's good that you have been banned from Quidditch,' Neville said. 'You almost die every year from at least one game.' Bella glared at her friend. He didn't back down.

**With a splattering thud she hit the mud and rolled off her broom. Her arm was hanging at a very strange angle; riddled with pain, she heard, as though from a distance, a good deal of whistling and shouting. She focused on the Snitch clutched in her good hand.**

"**Aha," she said vaguely. "We've won."**

**And she fainted.**

'I was fine,' she assured the worried adults looks. 'Until Lockhart got to me anyway.'

**She came around, rain falling on her face, still lying on the field, with someone leaning over her. She saw a glitter of teeth.**

'Oh crap, I remember this,' muttered Ron. The arm was so disturbing.

"**Oh, no, not you," she moaned.**

"**Doesn't know what she's saying," said Lockhart loudly to the anxious crowd of Gryffindors pressing around them. "Not to worry, Bella. I'm about to fix your arm."**

"**No!" said Bella. "I'll keep it like this, thanks…"**

People snorted.

**She tried to sit up, but the pain was terrible. She heard a familiar clicking noise nearby.**

"**I don't want a photo of this, Colin," she said loudly.**

She felt guilty for snapping at him now.

"**Lie back, Bella," said Lockhart soothingly. "It's a simple charm I've used countless times —"**

'Yeah and how many times has it worked?' Bella snapped.

"**Why can't I just go to the hospital wing?" said Bella through clenched teeth.**

"**She should really, Professor," said a muddy Wood, who couldn't help grinning even though his Seeker was injured.**

Adults and team members scowled while Bella chuckled fondly.

**"Great capture, Bella, really spectacular, your best yet, I'd say —"**

**Through the thicket of legs around her, Bella spotted Fred and George Weasley, wrestling the rogue Bludger into a box. It was still putting up a terrific fight. **

'It really was,' they said together.

"**Stand back," said Lockhart, who was rolling up his jade-green sleeves.**

"**No — don't —" said Bella weakly, but Lockhart was twirling his wand and a second later had directed it straight at Bella's arm.**

**A strange and unpleasant sensation started at Bella's shoulder and spread all the way down to her fingertips. It felt as though her arm was being deflated. She didn't dare look at what was happening. She had shut her eyes, her face turned away from her arm, but her worst fears were realized as the people above her gasped and Colin Creevey began clicking away madly. Her arm didn't hurt anymore — nor did it feel remotely like an arm.**

'The bones?' sighed Remus

'The bones,' said McGonagall furiously.

"**Ah," said Lockhart. "Yes. Well, that can sometimes happen. But the point is, the bones are no longer broken. That's the thing to bear in mind. So, Bella, just toddle up to the hospital wing — ah, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, would you escort her? — and Madam Pomfrey will be able to — er — tidy you up a bit."**

Bella growled in frustration.

**As Bella got to her feet, she felt strangely lopsided. Taking a deep breath she looked down at her right side. What she saw nearly made her pass out again.**

**Poking out of the end of her robes was what looked like a thick, flesh-coloured rubber glove. **

Many people shuddered.

**She tried to move her fingers. Nothing happened.**

**Lockhart hadn't mended Bella's bones. He had removed them.**

'Idiot,' Mad-Eye hissed.

**Madam Pomfrey wasn't at all pleased.**

"**You should have come straight to me!" she raged,**

'I tried,' Bella sighed.

**holding up the sad, limp remainder of what, half an hour before, had been a working arm. **"**I can mend bones in a second — but growing them back —"**

"**You will be able to, won't you?" said Bella desperately.**

"**I'll be able to, certainly, but it will be painful," said Madam Pomfrey grimly, throwing Bella a pair of pyjamas. "You'll have to stay the night…"**

**Ron waited outside the curtain drawn around Bella's bed while Hermione helped her into her pyjamas. It took a while to stuff the rubbery, boneless arm into a sleeve. **

Hermione shivered. That had been so creepy.

"**How can you stick up for Lockhart now, Hermione, eh?" Ron called through the curtain as Hermione pulled Bella's limp fingers through the cuff. "If Bella had wanted deboning she would have asked."**

"**Anyone can make a mistake," said Hermione. "And it doesn't hurt anymore, does it, Bella?"**

'You're still defending him!' said Sirius groaning.

'I was thirteen,' she whispered, going pink.

"**No," said Bella, getting into bed. "But it doesn't do anything else either. And it'll hurt more by the sound of it."**

**As she swung herself onto the bed, her arm flapped pointlessly.**

**Ron and Madam Pomfrey came around the curtain. Madam Pomfrey was holding a large bottle of something labelled Skele-Gro.**

Bella and Remus pulled faces. Hermione saw.

'Remus what – '

'That stuff's horrible, James had to use it in fourth year, all he did was whine.' he said.

'Madam Pomfrey doesn't normally allow – '

'It was after a full moon,' he explained.

'Ah,' Hermione said with an apologetic look.

"**You're in for a rough night," she said, pouring out a steaming beakerfull and handing it to her. "Regrowing bones is a nasty business."**

**So was taking the Skele-Gro. It tasted revolting. Bella coughed and it sprayed from her mouth. **

'It was an impressive spit take,' Ron snickered.

"**What did you expect?" she said impatiently filling another beaker. "Pumpkin juice, here." **

Bella snorted. She could be quite funny when she was mad.

**It burned Bella's mouth and throat as it went down, making her cough and splutter. Still tut-tutting about dangerous sports and inept teachers, Madam Pomfrey retreated, leaving Ron and Hermione to help Bella gulp down some water. "We won, though," said Ron, a grin breaking across his face. "That was some catch you made. Malfoy's face… he looked ready to kill…"**

"**I want to know how he fixed that Bludger," said Hermione darkly.**

"**We can add that to the list of questions we'll ask him when we've taken the Polyjuice Potion," said Bella, sinking back onto his pillows. "I hope it tastes better than this stuff…"**

'No and yes in different ways,' Bella said.

"**If it's got bits of Slytherins in it? You've got to be joking," said Ron.**

The Gryffindor's chuckled at the joke, Tonks gave a hidden smile.

**The door of the hospital wing burst open at that moment. Filthy and soaking wet, the rest of the Gryffindor team had arrived to see Bella. "Unbelievable flying, Bella," said George. "I've just seen Marcus Flint yelling at Malfoy. Something about having the Snitch on top of his head and not noticing. **

The twins sniggered as Malfoy's cheeks tinged pink.

**Malfoy didn't seem too happy." They had brought cakes, sweets, and bottles of pumpkin juice; they gathered around Bella's bed and were just getting started on what promised to be a good party when Madam Pomfrey came storming over,**

'Aw,' pouted Charlie, making Dumbledore chuckle merrily.

**shouting, "This girl needs rest, she's got thirty-three bones to re-grow! Out! OUT!" And Bella was left alone, with nothing to distract her from the stabbing pains in her limp arm.**

'She really should let people stay it distracts you even if it's just one or two,' Bella said, knowing she would be back their soon.

'I will pass on the suggestion,' Dumbledore said thoughtfully.

**Hours and hours later, Bella woke quite suddenly in the pitch blackness and gave a small yelp of pain: Her arm now felt full of large splinters.**

Everyone winced at that.

**For a second, she thought that was what had woken her. Then, with a thrill of horror, she realised that someone was sponging her forehead in the dark.**

'Huh?' sounded unanimously around the room.

'You'll see,' Bella said grinning.

"**Get off!" she said loudly, and then, "Dobby!"**

'Dobby?' everyone said confused.

'Dobby,' Ron said smirking. 'She told us the next day.'

**The house-elf's goggling tennis ball eyes were peering at Bella through the darkness. A single tear was running down his long, pointed nose.**

Bella shook her head fondly. She really did like that elf.

'Why was he crying?' Tonks asked.

'You'll see,' Bella said.

"**Bella Potter came back to school," he whispered miserably. "Dobby warned and warned Bella Potter. Ah miss, why didn't you heed Dobby? Why didn't Bella Potter go back home when she missed the train?"**

'The train?' said most of the room in shock.

'It was him,' Tonks said shocked. 'He blocked the platform off.'

**Bella heaved herself up on her pillows and pushed Dobby's sponge away.**

"**What're you doing here?" she said. "And how did you know I missed the train?"**

**Dobby's lip trembled and Bella was seized by a sudden suspicion.**

"**It was you!" she said slowly. "You stopped the barrier from letting us through!"**

'That was fast for someone who had just woke up,' Mr Weasley said smiling.

"**Indeed yes, miss," said Dobby, nodding his head vigorously, ears flapping. "Dobby hid and watched for Bella Potter and sealed the gateway and Dobby had to iron his hands afterward" he showed Bella ten long, bandaged fingers —**

Hermione sniffed angrily.

**"but Dobby didn't care, miss, for he thought Bella Potter was safe, and never did Dobby dream that Bella Potter would get to school another way!"**

'He clearly didn't know Bella Potter then,' Ron said sniggering.

**He was rocking backward and forward, shaking his ugly head.**

"**Dobby was so shocked when he heard Bella Potter was back at Hogwarts, he let his master's dinner burn! Such a flogging Dobby never had, miss…"**

Again Hermione sniffed angrily, glaring at Malfoy.

**Bella slumped back onto her pillows.**

"**You nearly got Ron and me expelled," she said fiercely. "You'd better get lost before my bones come back, Dobby, or I might strangle you."**

**Dobby smiled weakly.**

"**Dobby is used to death threats, miss. Dobby gets them five times a day at home."**

Draco shifted nervously at the glare he was getting from Hermione.

**He blew his nose on a corner of the filthy pillowcase he wore, looking so pathetic that Bella felt her anger ebb away in spite of herself.**

"**Why d'you wear that thing, Dobby?" she asked curiously.**

"**This, miss?" said Dobby, plucking at the pillowcase. "'Tis a mark of the house-elf's enslavement, sir. Dobby can only be freed if his masters present him with clothes, miss. The family is careful not to pass Dobby even a sock,**

Bella grinned widely.

**miss, for then he would be free to leave their house forever."**

Bella her grin somehow became wider.

'What do you do?' Ginny asked curiously.

'Free him of course,' said Luna.

**Dobby mopped his bulging eyes and said suddenly, "Bella Potter must go home! Dobby thought his Bludger would be enough to make —"**

'His Bludger!' cried all the Weasley, Sirius and Remus.

'Yes, now read,' she said to Fred impatiently.

"**Your Bludger?" said Bella, anger rising once more. "What d'you mean, your Bludger? You made that Bludger try and kill me?"**

"**Not kill you, miss, never kill you!" said Dobby, shocked. "Dobby wants to save Bella Potter's life! Better sent home, grievously injured, than remain here miss! Dobby only wanted Bella Potter hurt enough to be sent home!"**

'Oh, well if that's all,' said Bill angrily.

"**Oh, is that all?" said Bella angrily. "I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you wanted me sent home in pieces?"**

"**Ah, if Bella Potter only knew!" Dobby groaned, more tears dripping onto his ragged pillowcase. "If she knew what she means to us, to the lowly, the enslaved, we dregs of the magical world! **

Bella flushed with embarrassment as the twins cooed her.

'Shut it,' she growled at them, hiding in her hair.

**Dobby remembers how it was when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was at the height of his powers, miss! We house-elves were treated like vermin, miss! Of course, Dobby is still treated like that, miss," he admitted, drying his face on the pillowcase. "But mostly, miss, life has improved for my kind since you triumphed over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Bella Potter survived, and the Dark Lord's power was broken, and it was a new dawn, miss, and Bella Potter shone like a beacon of hope for those of us who thought the Dark days would never end, sit… And now, at Hogwarts, terrible things are to happen, are perhaps happening already, and Dobby cannot let Bella Potter stay here now that history is to repeat itself, now that the Chamber of Secrets is open once more."**

'Ha clue!' said Tonks. 'The chamber had been opened before!'

**Dobby froze, horrorstruck, then grabbed Bella's water jug from her bedside table and cracked it over his own head, toppling out of sight. A second later, he crawled back onto the bed, cross-eyed, muttering, "Bad Dobby, very bad Dobby…"**

"**So there is a Chamber of Secrets?" Bella whispered. "And did you say it's been opened before? Tell me, Dobby!"**

**She seized the elf's bony wrist as Dobby's hand inched toward the water jug. "But I'm not Muggle-born — how can I be in danger from the Chamber?"**

"**Ah, miss, ask no more, ask no more of poor Dobby," stammered the elf, his eyes huge in the dark. "Dark deeds are planned in this place, but Bella Potter must not be here when they happen — go home, Bella Potter, go home. Bella Potter must not meddle in this, miss, 'tis too dangerous —"**

'Story of my life,' she sighed dramatically.

"**Who is it, Dobby?" Bella said, keeping a firm hold on Dobby's wrist to stop him from hitting himself with the water jug again. "Who's opened it? Who opened it last time?"**

"**Dobby can't, miss, Dobby can't, Dobby mustn't tell!" squealed the elf. "Go home, Bella Potter, go home!"**

'Poor Dobby,' sighed Hermione.

"**I'm not going anywhere!" said Bella fiercely. "One of my best friends is Muggle-born; she'll be first in line if the Chamber really has been opened —"**

Hermione flushed with happiness.

'Do you ever think of yourself?' she whispered.

'Course I do,' Bella pouted.

Ron snorted, causing Bella to glare at him.

"**Bella Potter risks her own life for her friends!" moaned Dobby in a kind of miserable ecstasy. "So noble! So valiant! But she must save herself, she must, Bella Potter must not —"**

**Dobby suddenly froze, his bat ears quivering. Bella heard it, too. There were footsteps coming down the passageway outside.**

"**Dobby must go!" breathed the elf, terrified. There was a loud crack, and Bella's fist was suddenly clenched on thin air. **

**She slumped back into bed, her eyes on the dark doorway to the hospital wing as the footsteps drew nearer.**

McGonagall sighed. She should had known she would be awake.

**Next moment, Dumbledore was backing into the dormitory, wearing a long woolly dressing gown and a nightcap. He was carrying one end of what looked like a statue. Professor McGonagall appeared a second later, carrying its feet. Together, they heaved it onto a bed.**

"**Get Madam Pomfrey," whispered Dumbledore, and Professor McGonagall hurried past the end of Bella's bed out of sight. Bella lay quite still, pretending to be asleep. **

Dumbledore chuckled merrily.

**She heard urgent voices, and then Professor McGonagall swept back into view, closely followed by Madam Pomfrey, who was pulling a cardigan on over her nightdress. She heard a sharp intake of breath.**

"**What happened?" Madam Pomfrey whispered to Dumbledore, bending over the statue on the bed.**

"**Another attack," said Dumbledore. "Minerva found him on the stairs."**

"**There was a bunch of grapes next to him," said Professor McGonagall. "We think he was trying to sneak up here to visit Potter."**

Bella felt the guilt take her again.

'It's not your fault,' George said, rolling his eyes.

**Bella's stomach gave a horrible lurch. Slowly and carefully, she raised herself a few inches so she could look at the statue on the bed. A ray of moonlight lay across its staring face.**

**It was Colin Creevey. His eyes were wide and his hands were stuck up in front of him, holding his camera.**

"**Petrified?" whispered Madam Pomfrey.**

"**Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "But I shudder to think… If Albus hadn't been on the way downstairs for hot chocolate — who knows what might have —"**

Many of his ex-students and present ones sniggered at the thought.

**The three of them stared down at Colin. Then Dumbledore leaned forward and wrenched the camera out of Colin's rigid grip.**

"**You don't think he managed to get a picture of his attacker?" said Professor McGonagall eagerly.**

**Dumbledore didn't answer. He opened the back of the camera.**

"**Good gracious!" said Madam Pomfrey.**

**A jet of steam had hissed out of the camera. Bella, three beds away, caught the acrid smell of burnt plastic.**

'What can do that?' asked Sirius, horrified.

'Something with two eyes and a very lonely social life,' Bella said seriously.

Her parent and uncle like figures scowled at her.

"**Melted," said Madam Pomfrey wonderingly. "All melted…"**

"**What does this mean, Albus?" Professor McGonagall asked urgently.**

'I know,' Bella said putting her hand up and waving it, practically jumping out of her seat. 'It involves language, authority and riddles.' Thinking of her three clues; Parseltongue, Mr Malfoy as school governor, and Riddle.

"**It means," said Dumbledore, "that the Chamber of Secrets is indeed open again."**

**Madam Pomfrey clapped a hand to her mouth. Professor McGonagall stared at Dumbledore.**

"**But, Albus… surely… who?"**

'Did you know the first time?' Bella asked her head of house curiously.

'No,' she replied.

"**The question is not who," said Dumbledore, his eyes on Colin. "The question is, how…" **

'Sir, did I ever tell you the way you give straight answers is amazing,' Bella said innocently, making Dumbledore chuckle merrily.

**And from what Bella could see of Professor McGonagall's shadowy face, she didn't understand this any better than Bella did.**

'That's it everyone,' Fred said, passing the book to George.

"**The Duelling Club" **George read.


	11. The Dueling Club

**"The Duelling Club" **read George.

Bella groaned, knowing this is when everyone really started to believe she was the Heir of Slytherin.

**Bella woke up on Sunday morning to find the dormitory blazing with winter sunlight and her arm re-boned but very stiff. **

Bella flexed her arm unconsciously.

**She sat up quickly and looked over at Colin's bed, but it had been blocked from view by the high curtains Bella had changed behind yesterday. Seeing that she was awake, Madam Pomfrey came bustling over with a breakfast tray and then began bending and stretching her arm and fingers.**

"**All in order," she said as Bella clumsily fed herself porridge left-handed.**

'Ha even when you eat, your clumsy.' laughed Ginny.

"You try and feed yourself left handed and see how that works for you.' She huffed.

"**When you've finished eating, you may leave."**

'Nice and easy,' Bella said laughing.

**Bella dressed as quickly as she could and hurried off to Gryffindor Tower, desperate to tell Ron and Hermione about Colin and Dobby, but they weren't there.**

The teacher's looked at them eyes narrowed, Hermione hid her face and Ron smiled sheepishly.

**Bella left to look for them, wondering where they could have got to and feeling slightly hurt that they weren't interested in whether she had her bones back or not.**

'Bella of course we care,' Hermione said horrified, her eyes wide with shock. Ron looked down.

'I know you do,' Bella said smiling.

**As Bella passed the library, Percy Weasley strolled out of it, looking in far better spirits than last time they'd met.**

"**Oh, hello, Isabella," he said. "Excellent flying yesterday, really excellent. Gryffindor has just taken the lead for the House Cup — you earned fifty points!"**

"**Just Bella," she said. **

Percy went a little red, why hadn't he ever just called her what she asked? Why did it matter, the suddenly thought, she was a liar and self-absorbed brat.

"**You haven't seen Ron or Hermione, have you?' **

'No, he is too busy being a prefect,' Ginny said scowling at her older brother she just scowled back.

"**No, I haven't," said Percy, his smile fading. "I hope Ron's not in another girls' toilet…'"**

**Bella forced a laugh, watched Percy walk out of sight, and then headed straight for Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.**

Percy scowled again as he was right about Ron in that bathroom.

**She couldn't see why Ron and Hermione would be in there again, but after making sure that neither Filch nor any prefects were around, she opened the door and heard their voices coming from a locked stall.**

The twins waggled their eyebrows, Ron and Hermione went pink.

"**It's me," she said, closing the door behind her. There was a clunk, a splash, and a gasp from within the stall and she saw Hermione's eye peering through the keyhole.**

"**Bella!" she said. "You gave us such a fright — come in. How's your arm?"**

"**Fine," said Bella, squeezing into the stall.**

'Why did you need to squeeze in?' said Charlie. 'You're tiny!'

'Ron, Hermione and a big cauldron where already in the cubicle,' she said. 'It was pretty full.'

'Don't forget the toilet,' Luna hummed, everyone jumped they had forgotten she was even there.

**An old cauldron was perched on the toilet, and a crackling from under the rim told Bella they had lit a fire beneath it. Conjuring up portable, waterproof fires was a specialty of Hermione's.**

Hermione flushed pink, Snape scowled at nothing in particular.

"**We'd've come to meet you, but we decided to get started on the Polyjuice Potion," Ron explained as Bella, with difficulty, locked the stall again.**

"**We've decided this is the safest place to hide it."**

Moody nodded in approval.

**Bella started to tell them about Colin, but Hermione interrupted.**

"**We already know — we heard Professor McGonagall telling Professor Flitwick this morning. That's why we decided we'd better get going —"**

McGonagall sighed.

"**The sooner we get a confession out of Malfoy, the better," snarled Ron. "D'you know what I think? He was in such a foul temper after the Quidditch match, he took it out on Colin."**

'There goes your psychic ability Weasley.' Malfoy sneered.

'He thought about he didn't just blurt it out meaning it isn't like the other times,' Luna said staring at the ceiling light.

"'**There's something else," said Bella, watching Hermione tearing bundles of knotgrass and throwing them into the potion. "Dobby came to visit me in the middle of the night."**

**Ron and Hermione looked up, amazed. Bella told them everything Dobby had told her — or hadn't told her. Hermione and Ron listened with their mouths open.**

The two blushed slightly.

"**The Chamber of Secrets has been opened before?" Hermione said.**

"**This settles it," said Ron in a triumphant voice. "Lucius Malfoy must've opened the Chamber and now he's told dear old Draco how to do it. It's obvious. Wish Dobby'd told you what kind of monster's in there, though. I want to know how come nobody's noticed it sneaking around the school."**

The people who didn't know frowned. Yes, they thought, how was it doing that?

The trio, teachers and Ginny shared dark looks knowing exactly how.

"**Maybe it can make itself invisible," said Hermione, prodding leeches to the bottom of the cauldron.**

"**Or maybe it can disguise itself — pretend to be a suit of armour or something — I've read about Chameleon Ghouls —"pouring dead lacewings on top of the leeches. He crumpled up the empty lacewing bag and looked at Bella.**

"**So Dobby stopped us from getting on the train and broke your arm." He shook his head. "You know what, Bella? If he doesn't stop trying to save your life he's going to kill you."**

A couple of people chuckled at that, and those who did got an angry look from Mrs Weasley so they immediately looked down.

**The**** news that Colin Creevey had been attacked and was now lying as though dead in the hospital wing had spread through the entire school by Monday morning. The air was suddenly thick with rumour and suspicion. The first years were now moving around the castle in tight-knit groups, as though scared they would be attacked if they ventured forth alone. Ginny Weasley, who sat next to Colin Creevey in Charms, was distraught, but Bella felt that Fred and George were going the wrong way about cheering her up.**

Mrs Weasley frowned at her sons who smiled sheepishly.

'We were actually trying to help,' said Fred.

**They were taking turns covering themselves with fur or boils and jumping out at her from behind statues.**

'Yes that would be very helpful!' snapped Mrs Weasley. The twins looked down, quite upset they had got it wrong with the "cheering up,".

**They only stopped when Percy, apoplectic with rage, told them he was going to write to Mrs. Weasley and tell her Ginny was having nightmares.**

'See mum, he beat you too it,' Fred glared.

'Cause prefects can be prats.' George glared at Percy.

**Meanwhile, hidden from the teachers, a roaring trade in talismans, amulets, and other protective devices was sweeping the school.**

McGonagall and Snape frowned at this news, Dumbledore sighed.

**Neville Longbottom bought a large, evil-smelling green onion, a pointed purple crystal, and a rotting newt tail before the other Gryffindor boys pointed out that he was in no danger; he was a pureblood, and therefore unlikely to be attacked.**

"**T****hey went for Filch first," Neville said, his round face fearful. "And everyone knows I'm almost a Squib."**

'You are not!' said Remus sharply. Neville flushed and looked down.

**In the second week of December Professor McGonagall came around as usual, collecting names of those who would be staying at school for Christmas. Bella, Ron, and Hermione signed her list; they had heard that Malfoy was staying, which struck them as very suspicious.**

'Weren't you teasing Bella last year for staying behind?' Tonks pointed out making everyone glare at him, he just sneered.

**The holidays would be the perfect time to use the Polyjuice Potion and try to worm a confession out of him.**

**Unfortunately, the potion was only half finished. They still needed the bicorn horn and the boomslang skin, and the only place they were going to get them was from Snape's private stores. Bella privately felt she'd rather face Slytherin's legendary monster than let Snape catch her robbing his office.**

I jinxed myself, thought Bella. Snape however smiled smugly at the terror he seemed to cause in the students minds.

"**What we need," said Hermione briskly as Thursday afternoon's double Potions lesson loomed nearer, "is a diversion. Then one of us can sneak into Snape's office and take what we need."**

**Bella and Ron looked at her nervously.**

"**I think I'd better do the actual stealing," Hermione continued in a matter-of-fact tone. "You two will be expelled if you get into any more trouble, and I've got a clean record.**

Dumbledore chuckled at Hermione's determination.

**So all you need to do is cause enough mayhem to keep Snape busy for five minutes or so."**

**Bella smiled feebly. Deliberately causing mayhem in Snape's Potions class was about as safe as poking a sleeping dragon in the eye.**

'No I think it is slightly safer to poke the dragon,' Charlie said pretending to be thoughtful, Snape sneered again.

**Potions lessons took place in one of the large dungeons. Thursday afternoon's lesson proceeded in the usual way. Twenty cauldrons stood steaming between the wooden desks, on which stood brass scales and jars of ingredients. Snape prowled through the fumes, making waspish remarks about the Gryffindors' work while the Slytherins sniggered appreciatively. Draco Malfoy, who was Snape's favourite student, kept flicking puffer-fish eyes at Ron and Bella, who knew that if they retaliated they would get detention faster than you could say 'Unfair.'**

McGonagall glared at Snape, but he didn't met her gaze.

**Bella's Swelling Solution was far too runny,**

'So you knew the problem?' Snape frowned. 'And you don't fail on purpose anymore, why do you still make mistakes in my class?'

'It annoys you, I'll be fine in the exam,' she said calmly. 'You like victimising me so I just let it be,'

'Potter I'd rather you did your potion correctly,' he said, she shrugged.

**but she had her mind on more important things. She was waiting for Hermione's signal, and she hardly listened as Snape paused to sneer at her watery potion. When Snape turned and walked off to bully Neville,**

McGonagall, Mrs Weasley and Dumbledore all glared at him.

**Hermione caught Bella's eye and nodded. **

**Bella ducked swiftly down behind her cauldron, pulled one of Fred's Filibuster fireworks out of her pocket,**

Snape growled, Bella was trying not to grin, she pulled it off… just.

**and gave it a quick prod with her wand. The firework began to fizz and sputter. Knowing she had only seconds, Bella straightened up, took aim, and lobbed it into the air; it landed right on target in Goyle's cauldron.**

**Goyle's potion exploded, showering the whole class. People shrieked as splashes of the Swelling Solution hit them. Malfoy got a face full and his nose began to swell like a balloon;**

**Goyle blundered around, his hands over his eyes, which had expanded to the size of a dinner plate — Snape was trying to restore calm and find out what had happened. Through the confusion, Bella saw Hermione slip quietly into Snape's office.**

The trio, twins and Marauders couldn't help but grin at how successful the plan had gone.

"**Silence! SILENCE!" Snape roared. "Anyone who has been splashed, come here for a Deflating Draft — when I find out who did this —"**

**Bella tried not to laugh as she watched Malfoy hurry forward, his head drooping with the weight of a nose like a small melon.**

Everyone who was there besides Snape and Malfoy laughed.

**As half the class lumbered up to Snape's desk, some weighted down with arms like clubs, others unable to talk through gigantic puffed-up lips, Bella saw Hermione slide back into the dungeon, the front of her robes bulging.**

**When everyone had taken a swig of antidote and the various swellings had subsided, Snape swept over to Goyle's cauldron and scooped out the twisted black remains of the firework. There was a sudden hush.**

"**If I ever find out who threw this," Snape whispered, "I shall make sure that person is expelled."**

**Bella arranged her face into what she hoped was a puzzled expression.**

'It kind of worked,' Neville told her.

'Not enough,' Snape snarled.

**Snape was looking right at her,**

'You don't know it was her Severus,' McGonagall said. 'It could have been any of the students.'

**and the bell that rang ten minutes later could not have been more welcome.**

"**He knew it was me," Bella told Ron and Hermione as they hurried back to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. "I could tell."**

**Hermione threw the new ingredients into the cauldron and began to stir feverishly.**

"**It'll be ready in two weeks," she said happily.**

"**Snape can't prove it was you," said Ron reassuringly to Bella. "What can he do?"**

"**Knowing Snape, something foul," said Bella as the potion frothed and bubbled.**

**A week later, Bella, Ron, and Hermione were walking across the entrance hall when they saw a small knot of people gathered around the notice board, reading a piece of parchment that had just been pinned up. Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas beckoned them over, looking excited.**

"**They're starting a Duelling Club!" said Seamus.**

The DA members grinned at Bella who blushed slightly.

"**First meeting tonight! I wouldn't mind duelling lessons; they might come in handy one of these days…"**

"**What, you reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?" said Ron,**

Several people laughed.

**but he, too, read the sign with interest.**

"**Could be useful," he said to Bella and Hermione as they went into dinner. "Shall we go?"**

**Bella and Hermione were all for it, so at eight o'clock that evening they hurried back to the Great Hall. The long dining tables had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead. The ceiling was velvety black once more and most of the school seemed to be packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and looking excited.**

"**I wonder who'll be teaching us?" said Hermione as they edged into the chattering crowd. "Someone told me Flitwick was a duelling champion when he was young — maybe it'll be him."**

'That would be good maybe he could teach us sometime, you know see our progress,' Hermione said quietly to Ron who passed it on to Bella. She shrugged to say: we'll see.

"**As long as it's not —" Bella began, but she ended on a groan: Gilderoy Lockhart **

Everyone groaned.

'Has anyone notice Potter never says Professor Lockhart,' Snape said, 'so little respect for staff.'

'As much as it pains me to say this I respected you more than him, _sir_,' she added sarcastically at the end.

**was walking onto the stage,** **resplendent in robes of deep plum and accompanied by none other than Snape, wearing his usual black. **

**Lockhart waved an arm for silence and called "Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent!** **Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little duelling club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions —For full details, see my published works.**

'I'd rather not,' said Bella smirking as George put on the most camp voice he could; waving his spare hand around in a very feminine way.

The boys all laughed.

**Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape," said Lockhart, flashing a wide smile. "He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about duelling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin.** **Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry — you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"**

"**Wouldn't it be good if they finished each other off?" Ron muttered in Bella's ear. **

The students looked slightly dreamy at the thought.

**Snape's upper lip was curling. Bella wondered why Lockhart was still smiling; if Snape had been looking at her like that she'd have been running as fast as she could in the opposite direction.**

'He's an idiot that's why,' Fred said.

'Besides you would be running towards something more dangerous, like a dragon or something,' said George, Bella shrugged she couldn't argue with her luck.

**Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Snape jerked his head irritably.**

Everyone laughed if they were their or just imagined it.

**Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them.**

"**As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart told the silent crowd.**

'Yeah, because in a real battle that is going to happen,' Bill said rolling his eyes.

'To be fair Voldemort made me do that,' Bella said quietly, 'the bowing thing.'

Everyone looked at her worriedly.

'Said it showed manners,' she said even more quietly.

"**On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."**

"**I wouldn't bet on that," Bella murmured, watching Snape baring his teeth.**

Those who knew Snape well chuckled.

"**One — two — three —"**

**Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent; Snape cried: "Expelliarmus!" There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet: He flew backward off the stage, smashed into the wall, and slid down it to sprawl on the floor.**

**Malfoy and some of the other Slytherins cheered.**

**Hermione was dancing on tiptoes. "Do you think he's all right?" she squealed through her fingers.**

Hermione blushed darkly.

"**Who cares?" said Bella and Ron together.**

Everyone laughed again.

**Lockhart was getting unsteadily to his feet. His hat had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end.**

"**Well, there you have it!" he said, tottering back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm — as you see, I've lost my wand — ah, thank you, Miss Brown — yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy — however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see…"**

'George stop putting on that voice,' Mrs Weasley said, he saluted her then kept reading.

**Snape was looking murderous. Possibly Lockhart had noticed, because he said, "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me —"**

**They moved through the crowd, matching up partners. Lockhart teamed Neville with Justin Finch-Fletchley, but Snape reached Bella and Ron first.**

"**Time to split up the dream team, I think," he sneered. "Weasley, you can partner Finnigan. Potter —"**

**Bella moved automatically toward Hermione.**

'Cause he is going to let that happen,' Charlie muttered.

"**I don't think so," said Snape, smiling coldly. "Mr. Malfoy,** **come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter.**

'Severus are you trying to cause a fight?' McGonagall asked him, he just sneered at her. She glared at him.

**And you, Miss Granger — you can partner Miss Bulstrode."**

**Malfoy strutted over,**

'I don't strut!' he hissed outraged.

'You kind of do,' Bella said laughing.

**smirking.**

**Behind him walked a Slytherin girl who reminded Bella of a picture she'd seen in Holidays with Hags.**

Every student who knew Bulstrode laughed, teachers tried not to do the same at the accurate description.

**She was large and square and her heavy jaw jutted aggressively. Hermione gave her a weak smile that she did not return.**

"**Face your partners!" called Lockhart, back on the platform. "And bow!"**

Bella flinched very slightly only Ron and Sirius noticed as they were sitting next to her.

**Bella and Malfoy barely inclined their heads, not taking their eyes off each other.**

Moody nodded at them both.

'Smart never take your eyes of the opponent.'

"**Wands at the ready!" shouted Lockhart. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents — only to disarm them — we don't want any accidents — one… two… three —"**

**Bella swung her wand high, but Malfoy had already started on 'two':**

'Cheating little rodent,' Charlie growled making the teens laugh, and Malfoy blush slightly.

**His spell hit Bella so hard she felt as though she'd been hit over the head with a saucepan. **

Nearly everyone scowled at the reminder of the Durlseys, Bella sighed.

**She stumbled, but everything still seemed to be working, and wasting no more time, Bella pointed her wand straight at Malfoy and shouted, "Rictusempra!"**

**A jet of silver light hit Malfoy in the stomach and he doubled up, wheezing.**

"**I said disarm only!" Lockhart shouted in alarm over the heads of the battling crowd, as Malfoy sank to his knees; Bella had hit him with a Tickling Charm, and he could barely move for laughing. Bella hung back, with a vague feeling it would be unsporting to bewitch Malfoy while he was on the floor,**

'Constant Vigilance!' roared Moody, Tonks rolled her eyes at her mentor.

**but this was a mistake;**

'Yes it was,' Moody growled, again Tonks rolled her eyes.

**gasping for breath, Malfoy pointed his wand at Bella's knees, choked, "Tarantallegra!" and the next second Bella's legs began to jerk around out of her control in a kind of quickstep.**

"**Stop! Stop!" screamed Lockhart, but Snape took charge.**

"**Finite Incantatem!" he shouted; Bella's feet stopped dancing, Malfoy stopped laughing, and they were able to look up.**

**A haze of greenish smoke was hovering over the scene. Both Neville and Justin were lying on the floor, panting; Ron was holding up an ashen-faced Seamus, apologizing for whatever his broken wand had done; but Hermione and Millicent Bulstrode were still moving; Millicent had Hermione in a headlock and Hermione was whimpering in pain; both their wands lay forgotten on the floor.**

'Were you alright dear?' Mrs Weasley asked her anxiously.

'Yes Mrs Weasley I was fine,' Hermione said.

**Bella leapt forward and pulled Millicent off.**

'Thanks Bella,' Hermione said, Bella smiled back.

'No problem.'

**It was difficult: She was a lot bigger than she was.**

'You really were tiny then.' Ron said smiling at a memory of her in second year, the image changed to her besides a fifty foot snake and he paled.

"**Dear, dear," said Lockhart, skittering through the crowd, looking at the aftermath of the duels. "Up you go, Macmillan…"**

"**Careful there, Miss Fawcett…** **p****inch it hard, it'll stop bleeding in a second."**

"**I think I'd better teach you how to block unfriendly spells," said Lockhart, standing flustered in the midst of the hall.**

'No,' said the twins sarcastically.

**He glanced at Snape, whose black eyes glinted, and looked quickly away. "Let's have a volunteer pair — Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you —"**

"**A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," said Snape, gliding over like a large and malevolent bat. "Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells.** **We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a matchbox." Neville's round, pink face went pinker. **

Everyone glared at Snape besides Malfoy who snickered then regretted it because some people glared at him now too.

"**How about Malfoy and Potter?" said Snape with a twisted smile.**

'Cause that was always going to end well,' Bella said sarcastically.

"**Excellent idea!" said Lockhart, gesturing Bella and Malfoy into the middle of the hall as the crowd backed away to give them room.**

"**Now, Bella," said Lockhart. "When Draco points his wand at you, you do this."**

**He raised his own wand, attempted a complicated sort of wiggling action, and dropped it.**

**Snape smirked** **as Lockhart quickly picked it up, saying, "Whoops— my wand is a little overexcited—"**

The boys snickered at the innuendo.

**Snape moved closer to Malfoy, bent down, and whispered something in his ear. Malfoy smirked, too. Bella looked up nervously at Lockhart and said, "Professor, could you show me that blocking thing again?"**

"**Scared?" muttered Malfoy, so that Lockhart couldn't hear him.**

"**You wish," said Bella out of the corner of her mouth.**

**Lockhart cuffed Bella merrily on the shoulder. "Just do what I did, Bella!"**

'What drop her wand?' Ginny said.

"**What drop my wand?"**

The two girls laughed.

**But Lockhart wasn't listening.**

"**Three — two — one — go!" he shouted.**

**Malfoy raised his wand quickly and bellowed, "Serpensortia!"**

Bella groaned.

'Why that spell Malfoy,' she said annoyed.

'Slytherin, serpent, work it out, Potter,'

'Do I throw lions at you?' she said. 'No, so don't throw snakes at me.'

**The end of his wand exploded. Bella watched, aghast, as a long black snake shot out of it, fell heavily onto the floor between them, and raised itself, ready to strike. There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away, clearing the floor.**

"**Don't move, Potter," said Snape lazily, clearly enjoying the sight of Bella standing motionless,**

He had actually, he was curious to see if she had inherited Lily's fear of snakes, and for a moment believed she had.

**eye to eye with the angry snake. "I'll get rid of it…"**

"**Allow me!" shouted Lockhart.**

'Oh, dear,' Mrs Weasley whispered. Mr Weasley muttered 'Idiot,' but not many people heard him.

**He brandished his wand at the snake and there was a loud bang; the snake, instead of vanishing, flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor with a loud smack. Enraged, hissing furiously, it slithered straight toward Justin Finch-Fletchley and raised itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike.**

**Bella wasn't sure what made her do it. She wasn't even aware of deciding to do it. All she knew was that her legs were carrying her forward as though she was on casters and that she had shouted stupidly at the snake, "Leave him!"**

'That's what you said!' Everyone who was there said. Bella nodded.

**And miraculously — inexplicably — the snake slumped to the floor, docile as a thick, black garden hose, its eyes now on Bella. Bella felt the fear drain out of her. She knew the snake wouldn't attack anyone now, though how she knew it, she couldn't have explained.**

**She looked up at Justin, grinning, expecting to see Justin looking relieved, or puzzled, or even grateful — but certainly not angry and scared.**

Everyone who had been there sighed, they were all shocked to see the golden girl speak parceltongue.

"**What do you think you're playing at?" he shouted, and before Bella could say anything, Justin had turned and stormed out of the hall.**

**Snape stepped forward, waved his wand, and the snake vanished in a small puff of black smoke. Snape, too, was looking at Bella in an unexpected way: It was a shrewd and calculating look, and Bella didn't like it.**

'I don't think many would,' Bill said.

**She was also dimly aware of an ominous muttering all around the walls. Then she felt a tugging on the back of her robes.**

"**Come on," said Ron's voice in her ear. "Move — come on —"**

'Good get her out of there,' Mrs Weasley said.

**Ron steered her out of the hall, Hermione hurrying alongside them. As they went through the doors, the people on either side drew away as though they were frightened of catching something.**

**Bella didn't have a clue what was going on, and neither Ron nor Hermione explained anything until they had dragged her all the way up to the empty Gryffindor common room.**

**Then Ron pushed Bella into an armchair and said, "You're a Parselmouth. Why didn't you tell us?"**

"**I'm a what?" said Bella.**

"**A Parselmouth!" said Ron. "You can talk to snakes!"**

"**I know," said Bella. "I mean, that's only the second time I've ever done it. I accidentally set a boa constrictor on my cousin Dudley at the zoo once — long story —** **but it was telling me it had never seen Brazil and I sort of set it free without meaning to that was before I knew I was a witch —"**

"**A boa constrictor told you it had never seen Brazil?" Ron repeated faintly. **

'Yep it did,' Fred said.

'Weren't you listening Ron,' George said.

"**So?" said Bella. "I bet loads of people here can do it."**

"**Oh, no they can't," said Ron. "It's not a very common gift. Bella, this is bad."**

"**What's bad?" said Bella, starting to feel quite angry. "What's wrong with everyone? Listen, if I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin —"**

"**Oh, that's what you said to it?"**

"**What d'you mean? You were there — you heard me —"**

"**I heard you speaking Parseltongue," said Ron. "Snake language. You could have been saying anything — no wonder Justin panicked, you sounded like you were egging the snake on or something — it was creepy, you know —"**

**Bella gaped at him.**

"**I spoke a different language? But — I didn't realise — how can I speak a language without knowing I can speak it?'"**

'Is that normal for a Parselmouth?' Hermione asked Dumbledore, he shook his head.

**Ron shook his head. Both he and Hermione were looking as though someone had died. Bella couldn't see what was so terrible.**

"**D'you want to tell me what's wrong with stopping a massive snake biting off Justin's head?" she said. "What does it matter how I did it as long as Justin doesn't have to join the Headless Hunt?"**

The whole room chuckled.

'I love your humour,' said Fred wiping his eyes

'You're so funny,' George agreed wiping his own.

"**It matters," said Hermione, speaking at last in a hushed voice, "because being able to talk to snakes was what Salazar Slytherin was famous for. That's why the symbol of Slytherin House is a serpent."**

**Bella's mouth fell open.**

"**Exactly," said Ron. "And now the whole school's going to think you're his great-great-great-great-granddaughter or something —"**

"**But I'm not," said Bella, with a panic she couldn't quite explain.**

"**You'll find that hard to prove," said Hermione. "He lived about a thousand years ago; for all we know, you could be."**

**Bella lay awake for hours that night. Through a gap in the curtains around her four-poster she watched snow starting to drift past the tower window and wondered…Could she be a descendant of Salazar Slytherin?**

'No,' Sirius said. 'Potter's aren't related to Slytherin.'

**She didn't know anything about his father's family, after all. The Dursleys had always forbidden questions about her wizarding relatives.**

**Quietly, Bella tried to say something in Parseltongue. The words wouldn't come. It seemed she had to be face-to-face with a snake to do it.**

'Or another speaker I would imagine,' Dumbledore said.

**But I'm in Gryffindor, Bella thought. The Sorting Hat wouldn't have put me in here if I had Slytherin blood…**

**Ah, said a nasty little voice in her brain, but the Sorting Hat wanted to put you in Slytherin, don't you remember?**

'Even your brain hates you,' laughed Ron, earning himself a whack on both sides.

'You two don't normally hit me this much,' he grumbled.

'Normally we are trying to solve something or fighting something so we don't get to be normal,' Hermione said.

**Bella turned over. She'd see Justin the next day in Herbology and she'd explain that she'd been calling the snake off, not egging it on, which (she thought angrily, pummelling her pillow) any fool should have realised.**

**By next morning, however, the snow that had begun in the night had turned into a blizzard so thick that the last Herbology lesson of the term was cancelled: Professor Sprout wanted to fit socks and scarves on the Mandrakes, a tricky operation she would entrust to no one else, now that it was so important for the Mandrakes to grow quickly and revive Mrs. Norris and Colin Creevey.**

**Bella fretted about this next to the fire in the Gryffindor common room, while Ron and Hermione used their time off to play a game of wizard chess.**

"**For heaven's sake, Bella," said Hermione, exasperated, as one of Ron's bishops wrestled her knight off his horse and dragged him off the board. "Go and find Justin if it's so important to you."**

**So Bella got up and left through the portrait hole, wondering where Justin might be.**

**The castle was darker than it usually was in daytime because of the thick, swirling grey snow at every window. Shivering, Bella walked past classrooms where lessons were taking place, catching snatches of what was happening within. Professor McGonagall was shouting at someone who, by the sound of it, had turned his friend into a badger.**

Fred laughed.

'That was Tony Dale wasn't it?' he said. 'The Ravenclaw, he turned his best mate, Danny Wilson who was Hufflepuff,' McGonagall nodded stiffly.

**Resisting the urge to take a look, Bella walked on by, thinking that Justin might be using his free time to catch up on some work, and deciding to check the library first.**

**A group of the Hufflepuffs who should have been in Herbology were indeed sitting at the back of the library, but they didn't seem to be working. Between the long lines of high bookshelves, Bella could see that their heads were close together and they were having what looked like an absorbing conversation.**

**She couldn't see whether Justin was among them. She was walking toward them when something of what they were saying met her ears, and she paused to listen, hidden in the Invisibility section.**

'Irony,' laughed Hermione.

"**So anyway," a stout boy was saying, "I told Justin to hide up in our dormitory. I mean to say, if Potter's marked him down as her next victim, it's best if he keeps a low profile for a while. Of course, Justin's been waiting for something like this to happen ever since he let slip to Potter he was Muggle-born. Justin actually told her he'd been down for Eton. That's not the kind of thing you bandy about with Slytherin's heir on the loose, is it?"**

Ron's fists were clenched, he remembered wondering about why Bella kept mumbling in her sleep.

'It's not me, I'm not the heir. No heir. Snake. Snake moved away.' He thought it was just everything but it must have been this argument.

'Why didn't you tell us about this Bella,' Hermione said. Bella shrugged.

'I think after what happened after I kind of forgot about it.' She said.

"**You definitely think it is Potter, then, Ernie?" said a girl with blonde pigtails anxiously.**

"**Hannah," said the stout boy solemnly, "she's a Parselmouth.**

'THAT DOESN'T MEAN SHE DID IT!' Tonks said infuriated now.

**Everyone knows that's the mark of a Dark witch or wizard.**

'No it isn't.' The Da members and marauders said.

**Have you ever heard of a decent one who could talk to snakes? **

'Yes,' they all spoke again, while others silently fumed.

**They called Slytherin himself Serpent-tongue."**

'So,' this time Bella giggled it was funny to see them all speak at the same time.

**There was some heavy murmuring at this, and Ernie went on, "Remember what was written on the wall? Enemies of the Heir, Beware. Potter had some sort of run-in with Filch. Next thing we know, Filch's cat's attacked. That first year, Creevey, was annoying Potter at the Quidditch match, taking pictures of her while she was lying in the mud. Next thing we know — Creevey's been attacked."**

'I can see that logic,' Mad eye growled.

"**She always seems so nice, though," said Hannah uncertainly,**

'Thanks Hannah,' Bella said softly.

"**and, well, she's the one who made You-Know-Who disappear. She can't be all bad, can she?"**

Neville and Bella smiled, Hannah was really sweet sometimes she was a bit soft with other people's opinions like now, but she was sweet.

**Ernie lowered his voice mysteriously, the Hufflepuffs bent closer, and Bella edged nearer so that she could catch Ernie's words.**

"**No one knows how she survived that attack by You-Know-Who. I mean to say, she was only a baby when it happened. She should have been blasted into smithereens. Only a really powerful Dark wizard could have survived a curse like that."**

'Yeah,' said Fred, 'she has her evil dummy ready to curse the closest Blood Traitor.' Said Fred mockingly

'Watch out for the rattle! One hit and it will stun you so she can dribble you to death,' George added putting his hands up in surrender.

'Oh, shut it!' said Bella half amused half embarrassed 'He's apologised,'

'You really are way to forgiving,' said Sirius frowning, Bella shrugged she didn't care.

**He dropped his voice until it was barely more than a whisper, and said, "That's probably why You- Know-Who wanted to kill her in the first place. Didn't want another Dark Lord competing with him. I wonder what other powers Potter's been hiding?"**

Everyone rolled their eyes; you could tell he was twelve.

**Bella couldn't take anymore. Clearing her throat loudly, she stepped out from behind the bookshelves. If she hadn't been feeling so angry, she would have found the sight that greeted her funny: Every one of the Hufflepuffs looked as though they had been Petrified by the sight of her, and the colour was draining out of Ernie's face.**

'Ha,' said Ginny vindictively. Serves him right the little bastard, she thought, knowing her mother would tell her off if she said it out loud.

"**Hello," said Bella. "I'm looking for Justin Finch-Fletchley."**

**T****he Hufflepuffs' worst fears had clearly been confirmed. They all looked fearfully at Ernie.**

"**What do you want with him?" said Ernie in a quavering voice.**

"**I wanted to tell him what really happened with that snake at the Duelling Club," said Bella. "Oh and Hannah thank you for sticking up for me," she said smiling at her, Hannah smiled timidly back. **

**Ernie bit his white lips and then, taking a deep breath, said, "We were all there. We saw what happened."**

'So you saw the snake move away from him then,' Luna said with a small smile on her face.

"**Then you noticed that after I spoke to it, the snake backed off?" said Bella.**

"**All I saw," said Ernie stubbornly, though he was trembling as he spoke, "was you speaking Parseltongue **

'Prejudice little git,' Sirius growled.

**and chasing the snake toward Justin."**

"**I didn't chase it at him!" Bella said, her voice shaking with anger. "It didn't even touch him! It moved **_**away**_** from him," she said as thought talking to a child. **

George snorted imagining it, Fred smirked to.

'I think we may have heard that voice.' He said.

'Shut up Fred,' she said.

"**It was a very near miss," said Ernie. "And in case you're getting ideas," he added hastily, "I might tell you that you can trace my family back through nine generations of witches and warlocks and my blood's as pure as anyone's, so —"**

"**- I don't care what sort of blood you've got!" said Bella fiercely. "Why would I want to attack Muggle-borns? My best friend is a Muggleborn, and the other may be a pureblood but his whole family are about Muggle and Muggleborn rights."**

"**I've heard you hate those Muggles you live with," said Ernie swiftly.**

'Yeah but their abusive gits,' Ron said darkly.

'They are not abusive,' Bella said. 'I was not abused.'

'Of course you weren't Bells,' he said darkly. Bella sighed and looked back at George who continued to read.

"**It's not possible to live with the Dursleys and not hate them," said Bella.**

People nodded angrily.

"**I'd like to see you try it."**

**She turned on her heel and stormed out of the library, earning herself a reproving glare from Madam Pince, who was polishing the gilded cover of a large spellbook.**

**Bella blundered up the corridor, barely noticing where she was going, she was in such a fury. The result was that she walked into something very large and solid, which knocked her backward onto the floor.**

Everyone laughed.

'Shut up,' she grumbled.

"**Oh, hello, Hagrid," Bella said, looking up.**

**Hagrid's face was entirely hidden by a woolly, snow-covered balaclava, but it couldn't possibly be anyone else, as he filled most of the corridor in his moleskin overcoat. A dead rooster was hanging from one of his massive, gloved hands.**

"**All righ', Bella?" he said, pulling up the balaclava so he could speak. "Why aren't yeh in class?"**

"**Cancelled," said Bella, getting up. "What're you doing in here?"**

**Hagrid held up the limp rooster.**

"**Second one killed this term," he explained. "It's either foxes or a Blood-Suckin Bugbear, an' I need the Headmaster's permission ter put a charm around the hen coop."**

**He peered more closely at Bella from under his thick, snow-flecked eyebrows.**

"**Yeh sure yeh're all righ'? Yeh look all hot an' bothered —"**

**Bella couldn't bring herself to repeat what Ernie and the rest of the Hufflepuffs had been saying about her.**

'Bella you should have told Hagrid,' Hermione said softly. Bella shrugged it was too late now.

"**It's nothing," she said. "I'd better get going, Hagrid, it's Transfiguration next and I've got to pick up my books."**

**She walked off, her mind still full of what Ernie had said about her.** "**Justin's been waiting for something like this to happen ever since he let slip to Potter he was Muggle-born…"**

**Bella stamped up the stairs and turned along another corridor, which was particularly dark; the torches had been extinguished by a strong, icy draft that was blowing through a loose windowpane. She was halfway down the passage when she tripped headlong over something lying on the floor.**

'I don't like the sound of this,' muttered Mrs Weasley.

'Mum, she trips all the time,' said Charlie, 'she only fell before with Hagrid two seconds ago.' he said amused.

'Hey! I was distracted!' she huffed.

'Are you always distracted?' he pressed.

'With my life I could be,' she pouted.

'But you're not.' He continued, she stuck her tongue out at him crossing her arms in a pouty huff making him boom with laughter.

**She turned to squint at what she'd fallen over and felt as though her stomach had dissolved.**

George laughed the last line.

'I didn't know your stomach could dissolve,' he laughed.

'Shut up and read the next line you moron,' she said not in the mood for teasing right now.

**Justin Finch-Fletchley was lying on the floor, rigid and cold, a look of shock frozen on his face, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. **

**And that wasn't all. Next to him was another figure, the strangest sight Bella had ever seen.**

**It was Nearly Headless Nick, no longer pearly-white and transparent, but black and smoky, floating immobile and horizontal, six inches off the floor. His head was half off and his face wore an expression of shock identical to Justin's.**

'Bloody hell!' yelled Sirius

'Sirius, be quiet,' said Remus, though he too looked extremely shocked and pale, he started to think of what could possibly do this. He came up with nothing.

**Bella got to her feet, her breathing fast and shallow, her heart doing a kind of drumroll against her ribs. She looked wildly up and down the deserted corridor and saw a line of spiders scuttling as fast as they could away from the bodies.**

Ron shuddered, Remus frowned, spiders where fleeing, what were spiders afraid of…

**The only sounds were the muffled voices of teachers from the classes on either side.**

**She could run, and no one would ever know she had been there. But she couldn't just leave them lying here…**

'You should have,' McGonagall sighed.

**She had to get help… Would anyone believe she hadn't had anything to do with this?**

**As she stood there, panicking, a door right next to her opened with a bang. Peeves the Poltergeist came shooting out.**

Sirius, Remus, Mr and Mrs Weasley, Tonks, Bill and Charlie all groaned knowing this wasn't going to end well.

"**Why, it's potty wee Potter!" cackled Peeves, knocking Bella's glasses askew as he bounced past her. **

Bella scowled she hated it when he did that.

"**What's Potter up to? Why's Potter lurking —"**

**Peeves stopped, halfway through a midair somersault. Upside down, he spotted Justin and Nearly Headless Nick. He flipped the right way up, filled his lungs and, before Bella could stop him, screamed, 'ATTACK! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! NO MORTAL OR GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATTAAAACK!'**

'Thanks Peeves,' said Bella dryly.

Sirius, Ron and Mr Weasley chuckled at this.

**Crash — crash — crash — door after door flew open along the corridor and people flooded out. For several long minutes, there was a scene of such confusion that Justin was in danger of being squashed and people kept standing in Nearly Headless Nick. Bella found herself pinned against the wall as the teachers shouted for quiet. Professor McGonagall came running, followed by her own class, one of whom still had black-and-white-striped hair. She used her wand to set off a loud bang, which restored silence, and ordered everyone back into their classes. No sooner had the scene cleared somewhat than Ernie the Hufflepuff arrived, panting, on the scene.**

"**Caught in the act!" Ernie yelled,**

'Oh shut up you idiot,' Ron muttered.

**his face stark white, pointing his finger dramatically at Bella.**

'Tosser,' Ron muttered so only Hermione and Bella heard, Hermione whacked him playfully.

"**That will do, Macmillan!" said Professor McGonagall sharply.**

**Peeves was bobbing overhead, now grinning wickedly, surveying the scene; Peeves always loved chaos. **

'That's why he is near you a lot he knows most mayhem strikes when your around,' Luna said to Bella smiling.

**As the teachers bent over Justin and Nearly Headless Nick, examining them, Peeves broke into song:**

"**Oh, Potter, you rotter, oh, what have you done, You're killing off' students, you think it's good fun —"**

Sirius was shaking his head, as were the teachers. Trust Peeves.

"**That's enough Peeves!" barked Professor McGonagall, and Peeves zoomed away backward, with his tongue out at Bella.**

**Justin was carried up to the hospital wing by Professor Flitwick and Professor Sinistra of the Astronomy department, but nobody seemed to know what to do for Nearly Headless Nick. In the end, Professor McGonagall conjured a large fan out of thin air, which she gave to Ernie with instructions to waft Nearly Headless Nick up the stairs. This Ernie did, fanning Nick along like a silent black hovercraft.**

Now it was all done and finished people couldn't help but snicker at the image.

**This left Bella and Professor McGonagall alone together.**

"**This way, Potter," she said.**

"**Professor," said Bella at once, "I swear I didn't —"**

"**This is out of my hands, Potter," said Professor McGonagall curtly.**

'Did you think I did it?' Bella said quietly, looking at her head of house.

'No, no I didn't, but I had to act that way so people would not believe that I was simply letting you off the hook,'

Bella nodded feeling better about what happened, she was worried her head of house thought it was actually her.

**They marched in silence around a corner and she stopped before a large and extremely ugly stone gargoyle.**

"**Sherbet ****Lemon!" she said. This was evidently a password, because the gargoyle sprang suddenly to life and hopped aside as the wall behind her split in two. Even full of dread for what was coming, Bella couldn't fail to be amazed.**

Those who had been to Dumbledore's office sighed they too had been impressed.

**Behind the wall was a spiral staircase that was moving smoothly upward, like an escalator. As he and Professor McGonagall stepped onto it, Bella heard the wall thud closed behind them. They rose upward in circles, higher and higher, until at last, slightly dizzy, Bella saw a gleaming oak door ahead, with a brass knocker in the shape of a griffin.**

**She knew now where she was being taken. This must be where Dumbledore lived.**

George saw the next chapter and grinned.

'I reckon Professor Snape should read.' He said innocently throwing the book over to where Snape was sat. Frowning Snape looked at the title and scowled.

"**The Polyjuice Potion" **Snape read.


	12. The Polyjuice Potion

"**The Polyjuice Potion" **read Snape

He glared at Bella, who smiled at him innocently.

**They stepped off the stone staircase at the top, and Professor McGonagall rapped on the door. It opened silently and they entered. Professor McGonagall told Bella to wait and left her there, alone.**

**Bella looked around. One thing was certain: of all the teachers' offices Bella had visited so far this year, Dumbledore's was by far the most interesting.**

The people who had been in Dumbledore's office agreed.

**If she hadn't been scared out of her wits that she was about to be thrown out of school, she would have been very pleased to have a chance to look around it.**

**It was a large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little noises. A number of curious silver instruments stood on spindle legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom were snoozing gently in their frames.**

**There was also an enormous, claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, a shabby, tattered wizard's hat — **_**the Sorting Hat**_**.**

**Bella hesitated. She cast a wary eye around the sleeping witches and wizards on the walls. Surely it couldn't hurt if she took the hat down and tried it on again? Just to see… just to make sure it had put her in the right House—**

'You must be the only person who has ever done that,' Tonks said, Bella shrugged she had been really worried about it.

**She walked quietly around the desk, lifted the hat from its shelf, and lowered it slowly onto her head. It was much too large and slipped down over her eyes, just as it had done the last time she'd put it on.**

**Bella stared at the black inside of the hat, waiting. Then a small voice said in her ear, "Bee in your bonnet, Bella Potter?"**

"**Er, yes," Bella muttered. "Er — sorry to bother you — I wanted to ask —"**

"**You've been wondering whether I put you in the right House," said the hat smartly. "Yes… you were particularly difficult to place. But I stand by what I said before —" Bella's heart leapt — "you **_**would**_** have done well in Slytherin —"**

'Aw, that was cruel,' Charlie said.

'That was pretty harsh,' Bill agreed.

'Does it really matter that much?' Bella asked.

'No I suppose not,' Charlie said smiling at her.

**Bella's stomach plummeted. She grabbed the point of the hat and pulled it off. It hung limply in her hand, grubby and faded. Bella pushed it back onto its shelf, feeling sick.**

"**You're wrong," she said aloud to the still and silent hat. It didn't move. Bella backed away, watching it. Then a strange, gagging noise behind her made her wheel around.**

**She wasn't alone after all. Standing on a golden perch behind the door was a decrepit-looking bird that resembled a half-plucked turkey. Bella stared at it and the bird looked balefully back, making its gagging noise again. Bella thought it looked very ill. Its eyes were dull and, even as Bella watched, a couple more feathers fell out of its tail.**

**Then she realised it was a Phoenix and it looked close to a burning day. **

Dumbledore looked at her eyebrows raised. She grinned at him sheepishly.

**As she thought it the bird burst into flames.**

**Bella yelled in shock and backed away into the desk. It gave one loud shriek and next second there was nothing but a smouldering pile of ash on the floor.**

**The office door opened. Dumbledore came in, looking very sombre.**

"**Professor," Bella gasped. "Your bird — I couldn't do anything — he just caught fire —"**

'Pretending you didn't know,' Remus said scowling.

'It would have been odd if I randomly knew about the cycle of a phoenix,' she said blushing.

**Dumbledore smiled.**

"**About time, too," he said. "He's been looking dreadful for days; I've been telling him to get a move on."**

**He chuckled at the forced stunned look on Bella's face.**

Dumbledore frowned he had not expected a thing.

"**Fawkes is a phoenix, Bella. Phoenixes burst into flame when it is time for them to die and are reborn from the ashes. Watch him…"**

**Bella looked down in time to see a tiny, wrinkled, newborn bird poke its head out of the ashes. It was quite as ugly as the old one.**

Dumbledore laughed again.

'Next time I see him, he's beautiful,' Bella said smiling.

"**It's a shame you had to see him on a Burning Day," said Dumbledore, seating himself behind his desk. "He's really very handsome most of the time, wonderful red and gold plumage.** **Fascinating creatures, phoenixes. They can carry immensely heavy loads,** **their tears have healing powers, and they make highly **_**faithful**_** pets."**

'Why did you emphasise that word?' asked Ginny.

Snape sneered. 'Because it is emphasised in the book Miss Weasley,' she scowled at him, but he ignored her and continued reading.

**In the shock of Fawkes catching fire, Bella had forgotten what she was there for, but it all came back to her as Dumbledore settled himself in the high chair behind the desk and fixed Bella with his penetrating, light-blue stare.**

**Before Dumbledore could speak another word, however, the door of the office flew open with an almighty bang and Hagrid burst in, a wild look in his eyes, his balaclava perched on top of his shaggy black head and the dead rooster still swinging from his hand.**

Several people chuckled at the image their mind eye had given them.

"**It wasn' Bella, Professor Dumbledore!" said Hagrid urgently. "I was talkin' ter her **_**seconds**_** before that kid was found, she never had time, sir —"**

**Dumbledore tried to say something, but Hagrid went ranting on, waving the rooster around in his agitation, sending feathers everywhere. "It can't've bin her, I'll swear it in front o' the Ministry o' Magic if I have to—"**

Bella smiled at how good a friend Hagrid was to her.

"**Hagrid, I —"**

"— **yeh've got the wrong kid, sir, I **_**know**_** Bella never —"**

"_**Hagrid!**_**" said Dumbledore loudly.**

"**I do not think that Bella attacked those people."**

"**Oh," said Hagrid, the rooster falling limply at his side. "Right. I'll wait outside then, Headmaster."**

**And he stomped out looking embarrassed.**

'Poor Hagrid,' Bella muttered.

"**You don't think it was me, Professor?" Bella repeated hopefully as Dumbledore brushed rooster feathers off his desk.**

"**No, Bella, I don't," said Dumbledore, though his face was sombre again. "But I still want to talk to you."**

**Bella waited nervously while Dumbledore considered her, the tips of his long fingers together.**

'Drum roll!' yelled Fred, George and some others began to drum their hands on the tables.

"**I must ask you, Bella, whether there is anything you'd like to tell me," he said gently. "Anything at all."**

**Bella didn't know what to say. She thought of Malfoy shouting,"You'll be next, Mudbloods!" and of the Polyjuice Potion simmering away in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.**

**Then she thought of the disembodied voice she had heard twice and remembered what Ron had said: '**_**Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the wizarding world.' **_**She thought, too, about what everyone was saying about her, and her growing dread that she was somehow connected with Salazar Slytherin…**

'So there were several things you should have told him.' Sirius said amused.

'How do you know I don't,' she pouted.

'Because the books called the chamber of secrets so you obviously end up in it.' Remus said. She scowled at his logic. 'And you're you,' he added as though an afterthought, Bella pouted at him.

"**No," said Bella. "There isn't anything, Professor…"**

**The double attack on Justin and Nearly Headless Nick turned what had hither to been nervousness into real panic. Curiously, it was Nearly Headless Nick's fate that seemed to worry people most.**

**What could possibly do that to a ghost? People asked each other; what terrible** **power could harm someone who was already dead? There was almost a stampede to book seats on the Hogwarts Express so that students could go home for Christmas.**

"**At this rate, we'll be the only ones left," Ron told Bella and Hermione. "Us, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle. What a jolly holiday it's going to be."**

**Crabbe and Goyle, who always did whatever Malfoy did, had signed up to stay over the holidays, too. But Bella was glad that most people were leaving. She was tired of people skirting around her in the corridors, as though she was about to sprout fangs or spit poison; tired of all the muttering, pointing, and hissing as she passed.**

**Fred and George, however, found all this very funny. **

'Of course they would,' said Mrs Weasley eyeing the to two boys who smiled at her sheepishly.

**They went out of their way to march ahead of Bella down the corridors, shouting, "Make way for the Heir of Slytherin, seriously evil witch coming through…"**

Mrs Weasley went to shout at them, but Bella spoke up.

'That actually cheered me up,' she said to the twins as though she hadn't seen their mother about to explode. 'It showed people how ridiculous they were being.' Mrs Weasley deflated again.

**Percy was deeply disapproving of this behaviour.**

"**It is **_**not**_** a laughing matter," he said coldly.**

"**Oh, get out of the way, Percy," said Fred. "Bella's in a hurry."**

"**Yeah, she's off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with her fanged servant," said George, chortling.**

Bella and the twins grinned at each other.

**Ginny didn't find it amusing either.**

"**Oh, **_**don't**_**," she wailed every time Fred asked Bella loudly who she was planning to attack next, or when George pretended to ward Bella off with a large clove of garlic when they met.**

A few people chuckled at that.

**Bella didn't mind; it made her feel better that Fred and George, at least, thought the idea of her being Slytherin's heir was quite ludicrous. But their antics seemed to be aggravating Draco Malfoy, who looked increasingly sour each time he saw them at it.**

'Even better,' said Ron grimly.

"**It's because he's **_**bursting **_**to say it's really him," said Ron knowingly. "You know how he hates anyone beating him at anything, and you're getting all the credit for his dirty work."**

"**Not for long," said Hermione in a satisfied tone. "The Polyjuice Potion's nearly ready. We'll be getting the truth out of him any day now."**

"**Hey I just thought of something," Bella said suddenly. They both looked at her. **

"**What?"**

"**It can't be Malfoy or any other pureblood,"**

'Huh?' said most people.

'I explain,' Bella said.

"**What makes you say that?" Hermione said. **

"**Think about it if it had been a pureblood family the chamber would never be closed, they would just keep it open, it has to be a half blood, and someone who's family hasn't been at Hogwarts since well fifty years then before that Slytherin's time. They wouldn't allow a Slytherin heir in on purpose as that would mean that they would open the chamber."**

'Of course,' whispered Remus. 'Good spot Bella,' Remus said proudly, she grinned at him. Tonks watched the two interact. Man he is adorable, she thought.

**Hermione gasped. "Bella your right, of course you're right," she said, pacing now.**

"**So the pureblood family of Slytherin would be home schooled like Eloise was earlier. The family want to open the chamber again – " Bella said.**

"**They have a baby with a Muggle and leave them once they know they cannot get rid of the child." Hermione finished. **

"**Then they can't trace it back to them until they want the child to open the chamber." Bella nodded, though it didn't seem completely right. However it seemed close.**

'Impressive Potter,' Moody growled.

"**So we see if Malfoy knows who this kid is," Ron said. **

"**Yeah, that's the best plan we have," Hermione sighed. **

**At last the term ended, and a silence deep as the snow on the grounds descended on the castle. Bella found it peaceful, rather than gloomy, and enjoyed the fact that she, Hermione, and the Weasleys had the run of Gryffindor Tower,** **which meant they could play Exploding Snap loudly without bothering anyone, and practice duelling in private.**

**Fred, George, and Ginny had chosen to stay at school rather than visit Bill in Egypt with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.**

Everyone kid who was there grinned besides Percy

**Percy, who disapproved of what he termed their childish behaviour, didn't spend much time in the Gryffindor common room. He had already told them pompously that **_**he**_** was only staying over Christmas because it was his duty as a prefect to support the teachers during this troubled time.**

Most rolled their eyes, Percy's ears went pink.

**Christmas morning dawned, cold and white. Bella and Ron, the only ones left in their dormitory, were woken very early by Hermione, who burst in, fully dressed and carrying presents for them both.**

"**Wake up," she said loudly, pulling back the curtains at the window.**

"**Hermione — you're not supposed to be in here —" said Ron, shielding his eyes against the light.**

'Bella's there,' Tonks pointed out.

'She lives there though,'

"**Happy Christmas to you, too," said Hermione, throwing him his present. "In case you haven't noticed there is already a girl who lives in this dorm. Anyway I've been up for nearly an hour, adding more lacewings to the potion. It's ready."**

**Bella sat up, suddenly wide awake.**

'Thought that would wake you at least,' Hermione said smiling.

"**Are you sure?"**

"**Positive," said Hermione, shifting Scabbers**

The trio and marauders faces darkened.

**the rat so that she could sit down on the end of Ron's four-poster. "If we're going to do it, I say it should be tonight."**

**At that moment, Hedwig swooped into the room, carrying a very small package in her beak.**

"**Hello," said Bella happily as she landed on her bed. "Are you speaking to me again?"**

**She nibbled her ear in an affectionate sort of way,** **which was a far better present than the one that she had brought her, which turned out to be from the Dursleys. They had sent Bella a toothpick and a note telling her to find out whether she'd be able to stay at Hogwarts for the summer holidays, too.**

Everyone growled at that, Bella sighed she wished, though now she could be with Sirius.

**The rest of Bella's Christmas presents were far more satisfactory. Hagrid had sent her a large tin of treacle fudge, which Bella decided to soften by the fire before eating;** **Ron had given her a book called **_**Flying with the Cannons**_**,**

A lot of people pulled a face.

**a book of interesting facts about his favourite Quidditch team,** **and Hermione had bought her a luxurious eagle-feather quill.**

'Still got it,' she said happily.

**Bella opened the last present to find a new, hand-knitted sweater from Mrs. Weasley and a large plum cake.**

'Thanks Mrs Weasley,' she beamed.

**Bella read her card with a fresh surge of guilt, thinking about Mr. Weasley's car (which hadn't been seen since its crash with the Whomping Willow),** **and the bout of rule-breaking she and Ron were planning next.**

All the Weasley's rolled their eyes at her.

**No one, not even someone dreading taking Polyjuice Potion later, could fail to enjoy Christmas dinner at Hogwarts.**

**The Great Hall looked magnificent. Not only were there a dozen frost-covered Christmas trees and thick streamers of holly and mistletoe** **crisscrossing the ceiling, but enchanted snow was falling, warm and dry, from the ceiling. Dumbledore led them in a few of his favourite carols,**

Everyone there but McGonagall, Snape and Malfoy grinned the three mentioned grimaced.

**Hagrid booming more and more loudly with every goblet of eggnog he consumed.**

**Percy, who hadn't noticed that Fred had bewitched his prefect badge so that it now read 'Pinhead,' kept asking them all what they were sniggering at.**

**Bella didn't even care that Draco Malfoy was making loud, snide remark about her new sweater from the Slytherin table.**

**With a bit of luck, Malfoy would be getting his comeuppance in a few hours' time.** **Bella and Ron had barely finished their third helpings of Christmas pudding when Hermione ushered them out of the hall to finalize their plans for the evening.**

The teachers narrowed their eyes as they replayed their memory of her doing that, she did look anxious and all three of them became more serious as they left the hall.

"**We still need a bit of the people you're changing into," said Hermione matter-of-factly, as though she were sending them to the supermarket for laundry detergent. "And obviously, it'll be best if you can get something of Crabbe's and Goyle's; they're Malfoy's best friends, he'll tell them anything.** **And we also need to make sure the real Crabbe and Goyle can't burst in on us while we're interrogating him."**

"**I've got it all worked out," she went on smoothly, ignoring Bella's and Ron's stupefied faces. She held up two plump chocolate cakes. "I've filled these with a simple Sleeping Draught. All you have to do is make sure Crabbe and Goyle find them. You know how greedy they are, they're bound to eat them.** **Once they're asleep, pull out a few of their hairs and hide them in a broom closet."**

**Bella and Ron looked incredulously at each other.**

"**Hermione, I don't think —"**

"**That could go seriously wrong —"**

**But Hermione had a steely glint in her eye not unlike the one Professor McGonagall sometimes had.**

'Making us do what she asked immediately,' Bella said grinning at her best friend.

"**The potion will be useless without Crabbe's and Goyle's hair," she said sternly. "You do **_**want**_** to investigate Malfoy, don't you?"**

"**Oh, all right, all right," said Bella. "But why am I Goyle? **

Bella grimaced as she remembered being a boy, it was horrible.

**Why can't you be him? And wait! What about you? Whose hair are you ripping out?"**

"**I've already got mine!" said Hermione brightly, pulling a tiny bottle out of her pocket and showing them the single hair inside it. "Remember Millicent Bulstrode wrestling with me at the Duelling Club? She left this on my robes when she was trying to strangle me! And she's gone home for Christmas — so I'll just have to tell the Slytherins I've decided to come back. And Bella Crabbe and Goyle are his friends and if one of us is going to play a boy better it's going to be you." Bella wasn't sure whether or not to be highly offended or not before she could decide Hermione had bustled off to check on the Polyjuice Potion again, Ron turned to Bella with a doom-laden expression.**

"**Have you ever heard of a plan where so many things could go wrong?"**

Hermione glared at them both, Ron shrank and Bella stood her ground mostly only allowing a small flinch.

**But to Bella's and Ron's utter amazement, stage one of the operation went just as smoothly as Hermione had said.**

Hermione sniffed.

**They lurked in the deserted entrance hall after Christmas tea, waiting for Crabbe and Goyle who had remained alone at the Slytherin table, shovelling down fourth helpings of trifle. Bella had perched the chocolate cakes on the end of the banisters. When they spotted Crabbe and Goyle coming out of the Great Hall, Bella and Ron hid quickly behind a suit of armour next to the front door. **

"**How thick can you get?" Ron whispered ecstatically as Crabbe gleefully pointed out the cakes to Goyle and grabbed them. Grinning stupidly, they stuffed the cakes whole into their large mouths.**

'CONSTANT VIGILANCE!' the twins yelled as loud as they could. Causing loads of people to jump.

**For a moment, both of them chewed greedily, looks of triumph on their faces. Then, without the smallest change of expression, they both keeled over backward onto the floor.**

'That was funny to watch,' Ron snickered.

**By far the hardest part was hiding them in the closet across the hall. Once they were safely stowed among the buckets and mops, Bella yanked out a couple of the bristles that covered Goyle's forehead and Ron pulled out several of Crabbe's hairs. They also stole their shoes, because their own were far too small for Crabbe - and Goyle-size feet.**

Mine still are, Bella thought, Ron's would have been to big now.

**Then, still stunned at what they had just done,** **they sprinted up to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.**

**They could hardly see for the thick black smoke issuing from the stall in which Hermione was stirring the cauldron. Pulling their robes up over their faces, Bella and Ron knocked softly on the door.**

"**Hermione?"**

**They heard the scrape of the lock and Hermione emerged, shiny-faced and looking anxious. Behind her they heard the **_**gloop gloop**_** of the bubbling, glutinous potion. Three glass tumblers stood ready on the toilet seat.**

"**Did you get them?" Hermione asked breathlessly.**

**Bella showed her Goyle's hair.**

"**Good. And I sneaked these spare robes out of the laundry," Hermione said, holding up a small sack. "You'll need bigger sizes once you're Crabbe and Goyle."**

'You've thought of everything,' Sirius said.

'You know there the common room is?' Remus said, the two looked sheepish. 'Take that as a no,' he chuckled.

**The three of them stared into the cauldron. Close up, the potion looked like thick, dark mud, bubbling sluggishly.**

"**I'm sure I've done everything right," said Hermione, nervously rereading the splotched page of **_**Moste Potente Potions**_**. "It looks like the book says it should… once we've drunk it, we'll have exactly an hour before we change back into ourselves."**

Malfoy scowled how could he have not seen this?

"**N****ow what?" Ron whispered.**

"**We separate it into three glasses and add the hairs."**

**Hermione ladled large dollops of the potion into each of the glasses. Then, her hand trembling, she shook Millicent Bulstrode's hair out of its bottle into the first glass.**

**The potion hissed loudly like a boiling kettle and frothed madly. A second later, it had turned a sick sort of yellow.**

Snape frowned that couldn't be right, then he remember Granger was in the hospital wing. Animal hair, he thought.

"**Urgh — essence of Millicent Bulstrode," said Ron, eyeing it with loathing. "Bet it tastes disgusting."**

"**Add yours, then," said Hermione.**

**Bella dropped Goyle's hair into the middle glass and Ron put Crabbe's into the last one. Both glasses hissed and frothed: Goyle's turned the khaki colour of a booger, Crabbe's a dark, murky brown.**

"**Hang on," said Bella as Ron and Hermione reached for their glasses. "We'd better not all drink them in here… Once we turn into Crabbe and Goyle we won't fit. And Millicent Bulstrode's no pixie."**

Everyone laughed imagining the three trapped in the toilet stuck and unable to move.

"**Good thinking," said Ron, unlocking the door. "We'll take separate stalls."**

**Careful not to spill a drop of her Polyjuice Potion, Bella slipped into the middle stall.**

"**Ready?" she called.**

"**Ready," came Ron's and Hermione's voices.**

"**One — two — three —"**

**Pinching her nose, Bella drank the potion down in two large gulps. It tasted like overcooked cabbage.**

Whoever had had polyjuice before pulled a face.

**Immediately, her insides started writhing as though she'd just swallowed live snakes — doubled up, she wondered whether she was going to be sick — then a burning sensation spread rapidly from her stomach to the very ends of her fingers and toes — next, bringing her gasping to all fours, came a horrible melting feeling, as the skin all over her body bubbled like hot wax — and before her eyes, her hands began to grow, the fingers thickened, the nails broadened, the knuckles were bulging like bolts — her shoulders stretched painfully and a prickling on her forehead told her that Goyle's hair was creeping down toward her eyebrows — her robes ripped as her chest expanded like a barrel bursting its hoops — her feet were agony in shoes six sizes too small —**

'Yep sums it up in one,' Sirius said grimacing.

Tonks grinned happy she could just change. Mad eye, Dumbledore, Snape, Ron, Hermione and Bella all grimaced.

**As suddenly as it had started, everything stopped. Bella lay face down on the stone-cold floor, listening to Myrtle gurgling morosely in the end toilet. With difficulty, she kicked off her shoes and stood up. So this was what it felt like, being Goyle.**

**Her large hand trembling, she pulled off her old robes, which were hanging over a foot above her ankles. She noticed a bulge.**

Ew, thought all the girls as the boys realised what she would have grown.

"**Ew," she muttered, very careful not to touch it she pulled on the spare robes, and laced up Goyle's boatlike shoes. She reached up to brush her hair out of her eyes and met only the short growth of wiry bristles, low on her forehead. Then she realised that her glasses were clouding her eyes because Goyle obviously didn't need them — she took them off and called, "Are you two okay?" Goyle's low rasp of a voice issued from her mouth. **

"**Yeah," came the deep grunt of Crabbe from her right.**

**Bella unlocked her door and stepped in front of the cracked mirror, trying to ignore the weird feeling of the weight between her legs.**

Again faces were pulled from practically everyone.

**Goyle stared back at her out of dull, deep-set eyes. Bella scratched her ear. So did Goyle.**

**Ron's door opened. They stared at each other. Except that he looked pale and shocked, Ron was indistinguishable from Crabbe, from the pudding-bowl haircut to the long, gorilla arms.**

"**This is unbelievable," said Ron, approaching the mirror and prodding Crabbe's flat nose. "**_**Unbelievable**_**."**

"**We'd better get going," said Bella, loosening the watch that was cutting into Goyle's thick wrist. "We've still got to find out where the Slytherin common room is. I only hope we can find someone to follow…"**

**Ron, who had been gazing at Bella, said, "You don't know how bizarre it is to see Goyle **_**thinking**_**."**

**She banged on Hermione's door. "C'mon, we need to go —"**

**A high-pitched voice answered him.**

"**I — I don't think I'm going to come after all. You go on without me."**

"**Hermione, we know Millicent Bulstrode's ugly, no one's going to know it's you Bella's Goyle and she's a girl so –"**

"**Yeah I can feel his… you know, it's awful and gross," she said pulling her legs further apart so they weren't touching **_**it**_**. **

Bella shuddered remembering.

"**No — really — I don't think I'll come. You two hurry up, you're wasting time —"**

**Bella looked at Ron, bewildered.**

"_**That**_** looks more like Goyle," said Ron. **

More laughter.

"**That's how he looks every time a teacher asks him a question."**

Even more laughter and sniggering.

"**Hermione, are you okay?" said Bella through the door.**

"**Fine — I'm fine — go on —"**

**Bella looked at her watch. Five of their precious sixty minutes had already passed.**

"**We'll meet you back here, all right?" she said.**

**Bella and Ron opened the door of the bathroom carefully, checked that the coast was clear, and set off.**

"**Don't swing your arms like that," Bella muttered to Ron.**

"**Eh?"**

"**Crabbe holds them sort of stiff…"**

"**How's this?"**

"**Yeah, that's better…"**

"**Why are you walking like that?" Ron asked her. **

"**How can you not walk like this?" she retorted. **

"**What, oh," he said his face read. "You've got…"**

Bella grimaced.

'Still don't know how you do that,'

'Suppose we're just used to it,' Ron said, though all the men had turned red.

"**It's so weird," she said. **

"**Try and walk like Goyle," he said, she tried. Ew, she thought. **

**They went down the marble staircase. All they needed now was a Slytherin that they could follow to the Slytherin common room, but there was nobody around.**

"**Any ideas?" muttered Bella.**

"**The Slytherins always come up to breakfast from over there," said Ron, nodding at the entrance to the dungeons. The words had barely left his mouth when a girl with long, curly hair emerged from the entrance.**

Percy blushed.

"**Excuse me," said Ron, hurrying up to her. "We've forgotten the way to our common room."**

"**I beg your pardon?" said the girl stiffly. "**_**Our**_** common room? **_**I'm**_** a Ravenclaw."**

**She walked away, looking suspiciously back at them.**

**Bella and Ron hurried down the stone steps into the darkness, their footsteps echoing particularly loudly as Crabbe's and Goyle's huge feet hit the floor, feeling that this wasn't going to be as easy as they had hoped.**

**The labyrinthine passages were deserted. They walked deeper and deeper under the school, constantly checking their watches to see how much time they had left. After a quarter of an hour, just when they were getting desperate, they heard a sudden movement ahead.**

"**Ha!" said Ron excitedly. "There's one of them now!"**

'Nope,' Ron grumbled.

**The figure was emerging from a side room. As they hurried nearer, however, their hearts sank. It wasn't a Slytherin, it was Percy.**

"**What're you doing down here?" said Ron in surprise.**

**Percy looked affronted.**

"**That," he said stiffly, "is none of your business. It's Crabbe, isn't it?"**

"**Wh — oh, yeah," said Ron.**

"**Well, get off to your dormitories," said Percy sternly. "It's not safe to go wandering around dark corridors these days.'"**

"_**You**_** are," Ron pointed out.**

Percy groaned he should have known from the way they were talking to him.

"**I," said Percy, drawing himself up, "am a prefect. Nothing's about to attack **_**me**_**."**

**A voice suddenly echoed behind Bella and Ron. Draco Malfoy was strolling toward them, and for the first time in her life, Bella was pleased to see him.**

'And the last,' Bella muttered.

'Ferret?' Ron questioned her in a whisper.

'Ok, second last,' Bella whispered back grinning.

"**There you are," he drawled, looking at them. "Have you two been pigging out in the Great Hall all this time? I've been looking for you; I want to show you something really funny."**

**Malfoy glanced witheringly at Percy.**

"**And what're you doing down here, Weasley?" he sneered.**

**Percy looked outraged.**

"**You want to show a bit more respect to a school prefect!" he said. "I don't like your attitude!'"**

**Malfoy sneered and motioned for Bella and Ron to follow him. Bella almost said something apologetic to Percy but caught herself just in time.**

Percy tried to make himself not feel shocked at that, he supposed she had always been polite it was a part of her act.

**She and Ron hurried after Malfoy, who said as they turned into the next passage, "That Peter Weasley —**

No Peter is right, Ron hissed in his head. That name seems to fit several traitors.

"**Percy," Ron corrected him automatically.**

"**Whatever," said Malfoy. "I've noticed him sneaking around a lot lately. And I bet I know what he's up to. He thinks he's going to catch Slytherin's heir single-handed."**

'Nope kissing a girl in secret,' Fred said. Percy blushed.

**He gave a short, derisive laugh. Bella and Ron exchanged excited looks.**

**Malfoy paused by a stretch of bare, damp stone wall.**

"**What's the new password again?" he said to Bella.**

"**Er —" said Bella.**

"**Oh, yeah — **_**pure-blood**_**!" said Malfoy, not listening, and a stone door concealed in the wall slid open. Malfoy marched through it, and Bella and Ron followed him.**

**The Slytherin common room was a long, low underground room with rough stone walls and ceiling from which round, greenish lamps were hanging on chains. A fire was crackling under an elaborately carved mantelpiece ahead of them, and several Slytherins were silhouetted around it in high-backed chairs.**

"'**Wait here," said Malfoy to Bella and Ron, motioning them to a pair of empty chairs set back from the fire. "I'll go and get it my father's just sent it to me —"**

**Wondering what Malfoy was going to show them, Bella and Ron sat down, doing their best to look at home.**

'It looks horrible so cold,' Bella said.

**Malfoy came back a minute later, holding what looked like a newspaper clipping. He thrust it under Ron's nose.**

"**That'll give you a laugh," he said.**

**Bella saw Ron's eyes widen in shock.****He read the clipping quickly, gave a very forced laugh, and handed it to Bella.**

**It had been clipped out of the **_**Daily Prophet**_**, and it said:****INQUIRY AT THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC**

**Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office, was today fined fifty Galleons for bewitching a Muggle car.**

**Mr. Lucius Malfoy, a governor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where the enchanted car crashed earlier this year, called today for Mr. Weasley's resignation. 'Weasley has brought the Ministry into disrepute,' Mr. Malfoy told our reporter.**

"**He is clearly unfit to draw up our laws and his ridiculous Muggle Protection Act should be scrapped immediately."**

'Not showing his true colours at all there,' Bella said sarcastically.

**Mr. Weasley was unavailable for comment, although his wife told reporters to clear off or she'd set the family ghoul on them.**

Everyone laughed as Mrs Weasley went a little pink.

"**Well?" said Malfoy impatiently as Bella handed the clipping back to him. "Don't you think it's funny?"**

"**Ha, ha," said Bella bleakly.**

"**Arthur Weasley loves Muggles so much he should snap his wand in half and go and join them," said Malfoy scornfully.**

"**You'd never know the Weasleys were pure-bloods, the way they behave."**

'You mean with kindness, respect and the belief that everyone one is equal,' said Bella in a confused voice pretending to think. 'Yeah I see what you mean Malfoy,' confidently. The Weasley family blushed the famous Weasley red.

'I'll tell you what,' said Bella as though telling a five year old. 'You go tell daddy to tell old voldy that, Bella Potter is calling him a coward and –' Sirius put his hand over his goddaughter's mouth.

'Don't say that,' he hissed 'It'll get you killed!' Bella looked at him in a way that said for Sirius to move his hand. He did so.

'Sirius, I'm already the one person whose death he wants the most.' Bella pointed out. 'So it's not like I can go any higher on his death list can I?'

'I don't like how you can say that so casually,' Remus said, Bella shrugged.

Malfoy was looking stunned. He hated to admit it but Potter had guts for saying that, though he wasn't going to pass the interrupted message on regardless.

**Ron's — or rather, Crabbe's — face was contorted with fury.**

"**What's up with you, Crabbe?" snapped Malfoy.**

"**Stomach ache," Ron grunted.**

"**Well, go up to the hospital wing and give all those Mudbloods a kick from me," said Malfoy, snickering.**

"**You know, I'm surprised the **_**Daily Prophet**_** hasn't reported all these attacks yet," he went on thoughtfully. "I suppose Dumbledore's trying to hush it all up. He'll be sacked if it doesn't stop soon. Father's always said old Dumbledore's the worst thing that's ever happened to this place.****He loves Muggle-borns. A decent headmaster would never've let slime like that Creevey in."**

**Malfoy started taking pictures with an imaginary camera and did a cruel but accurate impression of Colin:**

"'**Potter, can I have your picture, Potter? Can I have your autograph? Can I lick your shoes, please, Potter?"'**

**He dropped his hands and looked at Bella and Ron.**

"**What's the **_**matter**_** with you two?"**

**Far too late, Bella and Ron forced themselves to laugh, but Malfoy seemed satisfied; perhaps Crabbe and Goyle were always slow on the uptake.**

Malfoy scowled, Ron and Bella grinned at him.

"**Saint Potter, the Mudbloods' friend," said Malfoy slowly. "She's another one with no proper wizard feeling, or she wouldn't go around with that jumped up Granger Mudblood. And people think **_**s**__**he's**_** Slytherin's heir!"**

**Bella and Ron waited with bated breath: Malfoy was surely seconds away from telling them it was him — but then — **

"**I **_**wish**_** I knew who it **_**is**_**," said Malfoy petulantly. "I could help them."**

**Ron's jaw dropped so that Crabbe looked even more clueless than usual. Fortunately, Malfoy didn't notice, and Bella, thinking fast, said, "You must have some idea who's behind it all…"**

"**You know I haven't, Goyle, how many times do I have to tell you?" snapped Malfoy. "And Father won't tell me anything about the last time the Chamber was opened either. Of course, it was fifty years ago, so it was before his time, but he knows all about it, and he says that it was all kept quiet and it'll look suspicious if I know too much about it.****But I know one thing — last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a Mudblood **_**died**_**. So I bet it's a matter of time before one of them's killed this time… I hope it's Granger,"**

'MR MALFOY!'

'YOU FOUL LITTLE GIT.'

'HOW DARE YOU!'

'DISGUSTING BEHAVIOUR!'

Along with many other insult flew over to Malfoy from practically everyone in the room, Hermione blushed at all of them defending her, Bella give her a look that said: Crazy right?

When everyone calmed down slightly Snape continued to read.

**he said with relish.****Ron was clenching Crabbe's gigantic fists. Feeling that it would be a bit of a giveaway if Ron punched Malfoy, Bella shot him a warning look****and said, **

"**D'you know if the person who opened the Chamber last time was caught?"**

"**Oh, yeah… whoever it was was expelled," said Malfoy. "They're probably still in Azkaban."**

"**Azkaban?" said Bella, puzzled.**

**"****Azkaban — **_**the wizard prison**_**, Goyle," said Malfoy, looking at him in disbelief "Honestly, if you were any slower, you'd be going backward."**

Malfoy scowled again an obvious sign.

**He shifted restlessly in his chair and said, "Father says to keep my head down and let the Heir of Slytherin get on with it. He says the school needs ridding of all the Mudblood filth, but not to get mixed up in it.****Of course, he's got a lot on his plate at the moment. You know the Ministry of Magic raided our manor last week?"**

**Bella tried to force Goyle's dull face into a look of concern.**

"**Yeah…" said Malfoy. "Luckily, they didn't find much. Father's got some **_**very**_** valuable Dark Arts stuff. But luckily, we've got our own secret chamber under the drawing-room floor —"**

Malfoy glared at Ron, who laughed at him.

'Thanks Malfoy,;

"**Ho!" said Ron.**

**Malfoy looked at him. So did Bella. Ron blushed. Even his hair was turning red. His nose was also slowly lengthening — their hour was up, Ron was turning back into himself, and from the look of horror he was suddenly giving Bella, she must be, too.**

**They both jumped to their feet.**

"**Medicine for my stomach," Ron grunted, and without further ado they sprinted the length of the Slytherin common room, hurled themselves at the stone wall, and dashed up the passage, hoping against hope that Malfoy hadn't noticed anything.**

Malfoy scowled yet again he hadn't, though he thought something was going on.

**Bella could feel her feet slipping around in Goyle's huge shoes and had to hoist up her robes as she shrank; they crashed up the steps into the dark entrance hall, which was full of a muffled pounding coming from the closet where they'd locked Crabbe and Goyle. Leaving their shoes outside the closet door, they sprinted in their socks up the marble staircase toward Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.**

"**Well, it wasn't a complete waste of time," Ron panted, closing the bathroom door behind them. "I know we still haven't found out who's doing the attacks, but I'm going to write to Dad tomorrow and tell him to check under the Malfoys' drawing room."**

Mr Weasley smiled as he remembered Lucuis's face.

**Bella checked her face in the cracked mirror. She was back to normal. She put her glasses on as Ron hammered on the door of Hermione's stall.**

"**Hermione, come out, we've got loads to tell you —"**

"**Go away!" Hermione squeaked.**

**Bella and Ron looked at each other.**

"**What's the matter?" said Ron. "You must be back to normal by now, we are —"**

**But Moaning Myrtle glided suddenly through the stall door. Bella had never seen her looking so happy.**

**"Ooooooh, wait till you see," she said. "It's **_**awful**_** —"**

**They heard the lock slide back and Hermione emerged, sobbing, her robes pulled up over her head.**

"**What's up?" said Ron uncertainly. "Have you still got Millicent's nose or something?"**

**Hermione let her robes fall and Ron backed into the sink.**

**Her face was covered in black fur. Her eyes had turned yellow and there were long, pointed ears poking through her hair.**

"**It was a c-cat hair!" she howled. "M-Millicent Bulstrode m-must have a cat! And the p-potion isn't supposed to be used for animal transformations!"**

"**Uh-oh," said Ron.**

"**You'll be teased something **_**dreadful**_**," said Myrtle happily.**

"**It's okay, Hermione," said Bella quickly. "We'll take you up to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey never asks too many questions…"**

'Which is a good and a bad thing,' sighed McGonagall knowing the students wouldn't always go but sometimes they needed to know what had happened to them.

**It took a long time to persuade Hermione to leave the bathroom. Moaning Myrtle sped them on their way with a hearty guffaw. "Wait till everyone finds out you've got a **_**tail**_**!"**

'That is the end of this chapter,' Snape said holding the book for someone to take, Luna took it from him.

"**The Very Secret Diary" **she read.


	13. The Very Secret Diary

**"The Very Secret Diary" **read Luna.

**Hermione remained in the hospital wing for several weeks.**

I missed so much school that year, she thought.

**There was a flurry of rumour about her disappearance when the rest of the school arrived back from their Christmas holidays, because of course everyone thought that she had been attacked.**

**So many students filed past the hospital wing trying to catch a glimpse of her that Madam Pomfrey took out her curtains again and placed them around Hermione's bed, to spare her the shame of being seen with a furry face.**

**Bella and Ron went to visit her every evening. When the new term started, they brought her each day's homework.**

"**If I'd sprouted whiskers, I'd take a break from work," said Ron, tipping a stack of books onto Hermione's bedside table one evening.**

"**Don't be silly, Ron, I've got to keep up," said Hermione briskly. **

'It's a good job I did really,' she said, everyone who knew grimaced.

'She was petrified wasn't she?' Remus said looking at the professors and students faces. The trio nodded.

**Her spirits were greatly improved by the fact that all the hair had gone from her face and her eyes were turning slowly back to brown. 'I don't suppose you've got any new leads?' she added in a whisper, so that Madam Pomfrey couldn't hear her.**

"**Nothing," said Bella gloomily.**

"**What's that?" asked Bella, pointing to something gold sticking out from under Hermione's pillow.**

Hermione groan why didn't she leave this out.

"**Just a get well card," said Hermione hastily, trying to poke it out of sight, but Ron was too quick for her. He pulled it out, flicked it open, and read aloud:**

"_**To Miss Granger, wishing you a speedy recovery, from your concerned teacher, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defence League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award."**_

The twins along with other burst out laughing.

'Settle down, settle down,' said Dumbledore with an amused glint in his eye.

**Ron looked up at Hermione, disgusted.**

"**You sleep with this under your **_**pillow**_**?"**

**But Hermione was spared answering by Madam Pomfrey sweeping over with her evening dose of medicine.**

"**Is Lockhart the smarmiest bloke you've ever met, or what?" Ron said to Bella as they left the infirmary and started up the stairs toward Gryffindor Tower.**

**Snape had given them so much homework, she decided to go and do it.**

**Ron was just saying he wished he had asked Hermione how many rat tails you were supposed to add to a Hair Raising Potion when an angry outburst from the floor above reached their ears.**

"**That's Filch," Bella muttered as they hurried up the stairs and paused, out of sight, listening hard.**

"**You don't think someone else's been attacked?" said Ron tensely.**

**They stood still, their heads inclined toward Flich's voice, which sounded quite hysterical.**

"—_**even more work for me! Mopping all night, like I haven't got enough to do! No, this is the final straw, I'm going to Dumbledore —"**_

'Myrtle,' said all the girls.

**His footsteps receded along the out-of-sight corridor and they heard a distant door slam.**

**They poked their heads around the corner. Filch had clearly been manning his usual lookout post: They were once again on the spot where Mrs. Norris had been attacked. They saw at a glance what Filch had been shouting about. A great flood of water stretched over half the corridor, and it looked as though it was still seeping from under the door of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.**

**Now that Filch had stopped shouting, they could hear Myrtle's wails echoing off the bathroom walls.**

"_**Now**_** what's up with her?" said Ron.**

'Who knows,' Tonks sighed.

'We do,' said Ron and Bella.

"**Let's go and see," said Bella, and holding their robes over their ankles they stepped through the great wash of water to the door bearing it's OUT OF ORDER sign, ignored it as always, and entered.**

**Moaning Myrtle was crying, if possible, louder and harder than ever before.**

**She seemed to be hiding down her usual toilet. It was dark in the bathroom because the candles had been extinguished in the great rush of water that had left both walls and floor soaking wet.**

"**What's up, Myrtle?" said Bella.**

'At least you're being nice,' said Hermione smiling.

"**Who's that?" glugged Myrtle miserably. "Come to throw something else at me?"**

**Bella waded across to her stall and said, "Why would I throw something at you?"**

"**Don't ask me," Myrtle shouted, emerging with a wave of yet more water, which splashed onto the already sopping floor. "Here I am, minding my own business, and someone thinks it's funny to throw a book at me…"**

"**But it can't hurt you if someone throws something at you," said Bella, reasonably. "I mean, it'd just go right through you, wouldn't it?"**

**She had said the wrong thing.**

**Myrtle puffed herself up and shrieked, "Let's all throw books at Myrtle, because **_**she**_** can't feel it! Ten points if you can get it through her stomach!" she said putting her arm in Bella's stomach making her feel the ice shower feeling only in her stomach. "Fifty points if it goes through her head!" she punched through Bella's head. **

'That was awful,' Bella shuddered remembering.

"**Well, ha, ha, ha! What a lovely game, I **_**don't**_** think!"**

'Yes,' muttered some people.

"**Who threw it at you, anyway?" asked Bella.**

"_**I**_** don't know… I was just sitting in the U-bend, thinking about death,**

'Lovely,' snickered the twins.

**and it fell right through the top of my head," said Myrtle, glaring at them. "It's over there, it got washed out…"**

**Bella and Ron looked under the sink where Myrtle was pointing. A small, thin book lay there. It had a shabby black cover and was as wet as everything else in the bathroom. Bella stepped forward to pick it up, but Ron suddenly flung out an arm to hold her back.**

'It could be dangerous,' Moody growled.

It is but not in the way you're thinking, Bella thoughts miserably.

"**What?" said Bella.**

"**Are you crazy?" said Ron. "It could be dangerous."**

"_**Dangerous**_**?" said Bella, laughing. "Come off it, how could it be dangerous?"**

"**You'd be surprised," said Ron, who was looking apprehensively at the book. "Some of the books the Ministry's confiscated Dad's told me — there was one that burned your eyes out.** **And everyone who read **_**Sonnets of a Sorcerer**_** spoke in limericks for the rest of their lives.** **And some old witch in Bath had a book that you could **_**never stop reading**_**! You just had to wander around with your nose in it, trying to do everything one-handed.** **And —"**

'So you do listen to me,' Mr Weasley chuckled. Ron's ears went pink.

"**All right, I've got the point," said Bella.**

**The little book lay on the floor, nondescript and soggy.**

"**Well, we won't find out unless we look at it," he said, and he ducked around Ron and picked it up off the floor. **

Hermione clipped her over the head.

'Blimey, Hermione,' she grumbled rubbing her head.

**Bella saw at once that it was a diary, and the faded year on the cover told her it was fifty years old. She opened it eagerly. On the first page she could just make out the name **

**T. M. Riddle in smudged ink.**

"**Hang on," said Ron, who had approached cautiously and was looking over Bella's shoulder. "I know that name… T. M. Riddle got an award for special services to the school fifty years ago."**

"**How on earth d'you know that?" said Bella in amazement.**

"**Because Filch made me polish his shield about fifty times in detention," said Ron resentfully. "That was the one I burped slugs all over. If you'd wiped slime off a name for an hour, you'd remember it, too."**

**Bella peeled the wet pages apart. They were completely blank. There wasn't the faintest trace of writing on any of them, not even **_**Auntie Mabel's birthday**_**, or **_**dentist, half-past three**_**.**

'Why Auntie Mabel's birthday?' asked Fred

'I dunno might have just been the name that popped in my mind,' shrugged Bella.

"**He never wrote in it," said Bella, disappointed.**

'Oh yes he did,' whimpered Ginny, those who knew glanced at Ginny sympathetically.

"**I wonder why someone wanted to flush it away?" said Ron curiously.**

**Bella turned to the back cover of the book and saw the printed name of a variety store on Vauxhall Road, London.**

"**He must've been Muggle-born," said Bella thoughtfully. "To have bought a diary from Vauxhall Road…"**

'Or a half blood living in both worlds,' Bill said looking at Bella as though to say like you.

'Or a half blood that thought they were a Muggle until they're letter,' Charlie said waving his hands at Bella. Bella grimaced that was like her and Riddle.

"**Well, it's not much use to you," said Ron. He dropped his voice. "Fifty points if you can get it through Myrtle's nose."**

The boys sniggered as the girl's tutted, though some had grins on their faces.

**Bella, however, pocketed it.**

**Hermione left the hospital wing, de-whiskered, tail-less, and fur free, at the beginning of February.**

**On her first evening back in Gryffindor Tower, Bella showed her T. M. Riddle's diary and told her the story of how they had found it.**

"**Oooh, it might have hidden powers," said Hermione enthusiastically, taking the diary and looking at it closely.**

'Bloody hidden powers alright,' Ginny whispered, Luna took her hand and squeezed it.

"**If it has, it's hiding them very well," said Ron. **"**Maybe it's shy. I don't know why you don't chuck it, Bella."**

Some people laughed at the joke.

"**I wish I knew why someone **_**did**_** try to chuck it," said Bella. "I wouldn't mind knowing how Riddle got an award for special services to Hogwarts either."**

'Too curious for your own good,' said Sirius looking at his goddaughter who was smiling innocently at him.

'Who me?' she said

'Yes you,' Sirius grumbled but he was smiling. 'Too much like your bloody father,' he grumbled. 'Only – '

'It's the wrong sort of trouble, I'll work on that,' she said rolling her eyes.

"**Could've been anything," said Ron. "Maybe he got thirty O.W.L.s or saved a teacher from the giant squid. Maybe he murdered Myrtle; that would've done everyone a favour…"**

'Blimey,' Ron muttered quietly.

**But Bella could tell from the arrested look on Hermione's face that she was thinking what she was thinking.**

"**What?" said Ron, looking from one to the other.**

"**Well, the Chamber of Secrets was opened fifty years ago, wasn't it?" he said. "That's what Malfoy said."**

'I love how the three of you work it out with the smallest bits of I formation.' Tonks said laughing.

Dumbledore smiled the three they really were something.

"**Yeah…" said Ron slowly.**

"**And **_**this diary**_** is fifty years old," said Hermione, tapping it excitedly.**

"**So?"**

"**Oh, Ron, wake up," snapped Hermione. "We know the person who opened the Chamber last time was expelled **_**fifty years ago**_**. We know T. M. Riddle got an award for special services to the school **_**fifty years ago**_**. Well, what if Riddle got his special award for **_**catching the Heir of Slytherin? **_**His diary would probably tell us everything — where the Chamber is, and how to open it, and what sort of creature lives in it — the person who's behind the attacks this time wouldn't want that lying around, would they?"**

"**That's a **_**brilliant**_** theory, Hermione," said Ron, "with just one tiny little flaw. **_**There's nothing written in his diary.**_**"**

**But Hermione was pulling her wand out of her bag.**

"**It might be invisible ink!" she whispered, but Bella knew that wasn't true she had already tried "Aparecium!" nothing happened.**

Hermione glared at Bella who smiled sheepishly as though to say sorry.

**She tapped the diary three times and said, "**_**Aparecium!**_**"**

**Nothing happened. Undaunted, Hermione shoved her hand back into her bag and pulled out what appeared to be a bright red eraser.**

"**It's a Revealer, I got it in Diagon Alley," she said.**

**She rubbed hard on **_**January first**_**. Nothing happened.**

"**I'm telling you, there's nothing to find in there," said Ron. "Riddle just got a diary for Christmas and couldn't be bothered filling it in."**

**Bella couldn't explain, even to herself, why she didn't just throw Riddle's diary away. The fact was that even though she **_**knew**_** the diary was blank, she kept absentmindedly picking it up and turning the pages, as though it were a story she wanted to finish. And while Bella was sure she had never heard the name T. M. Riddle before, it still seemed to mean something to her, almost as though Riddle was a friend she'd had when she was very small, and had half-forgotten.**

Dumbledore thought perhaps it was the horcrex part of Bella giving her this feeling.

**But this was absurd. She'd never had friends before Hogwarts, Dudley had made sure of that.**

Everyone who cared about her scowled.

**Nevertheless, Bella was determined to find out more about Riddle, so next day at break, she headed for the trophy room to examine Riddle's special award, accompanied by an interested Hermione and a thoroughly unconvinced Ron,**

The boys laughed.

'Anyone else think it's that Ron can be forced to do something by two women,' Charlie laughed.

'Reminds me of a mug I saw once, "I am the man of the house and I've got my wife's permission to say so,"' Tonks said.

'Shut up,' Ron snapped.

'We get dragged places by him to,' Bella pointed out.

'Where,' said Charlie not believing her.

'Kitchen's, the great hall, honeydukes, the ice – '

'Alright give it a rest Bella,' Ron said going pink, while Hermione laughed.

**who told them he'd seen enough of the trophy room to last him a lifetime.**

'So you don't go and see your award every year,' Bella whispered in his ear, he nudged her playfully.

**Riddle's burnished gold shield was tucked away in a corner cabinet. It didn't carry details of why it had been given to him ("Good thing, too, or it'd be even bigger and I'd still be polishing it," said Ron).**

**However, they did find Riddle's name on an old Medal for Magical Merit, and on a list of old Head Boys.**

'Remind me to go and smash all that,' Bella muttered to Ron darkly,

'Why would you want to smash that Bella?' said Remus narrowing his eyes. Damn, thought Bella, werewolf hearing. She decided the truth was best.

'Because he is a complete git,' she said calmly.

'Isabella,' he reprehended lightly.

'Fine he is a murdering no good, slimy – '

'Isabella!'

'Sorry.'

"**He sounds like Percy," said Ron, wrinkling his nose in disgust. "Prefect, Head Boy… probably top of every class —"**

"**You say that like it's a bad thing," said Hermione in a slightly hurt voice.**

**The sun had now begun to shine weakly on Hogwarts again. Inside the castle, the mood had grown more hopeful. There had been no more attacks since those on Justin and Nearly Headless Nick, and Madam Pomfrey was pleased to report that the Mandrakes were becoming moody and secretive, meaning that they were fast leaving childhood.**

The teens pouted, as the adults looked at them to say: Remind you of anyone?

"**The moment their acne clears up, they'll be ready for re-potting again," Bella heard her telling Filch kindly one afternoon. "And after that, it won't be long until we're cutting them up and stewing them. You'll have Mrs. Norris back in no time."**

**Perhaps the Heir of Slytherin had lost his or her nerve, thought Bella. It must be getting riskier and riskier to open the Chamber of Secrets, with the school so alert and suspicious. Perhaps the monster, whatever it was, was even now settling itself down to hibernate for another fifty years…**

Or I didn't have the diary, Ginny thought miserably.

**Ernie Macmillan of Hufflepuff didn't take this cheerful view. He was still convinced that Bella was the guilty one, that she had 'given herself away' at the Duelling Club.**

'Tosser,' Ron muttered so quietly Remus barely heard it.

**Peeves wasn't helping matters; he kept popping up in the crowded corridors singing 'Oh, Potter, you rotter…' now with a dance routine to match.**

'Good old Peeves,' said Fred cheerfully.

**Gilderoy Lockhart seemed to think he himself had made the attacks stop.**

**Bella overheard him telling Professor McGonagall so while the Gryffindors were lining up for Transfiguration. "I don't think there'll be any more trouble, Minerva," he said, tapping his nose knowingly and winking. "I think the Chamber has been locked for good this time. The culprit must have known it was only a matter of time before I caught him. Rather sensible to stop now, before I came down hard on him.**

'Idiot,' grumbled most of the school.

**You know, what the school needs now is a morale-booster. Wash away the memories of last term! I won't say any more just now, but I think I know just the thing…"**

**He tapped his nose again and strode off.**

**Lockhart's idea of a morale-booster became clear at breakfast time on February fourteenth.**

'Oh god what did he do?' Tonks said actually looking very anxious and disturbed.

Everyone who was they're grumbled but Luna.

'Most of it was very good,' she said.

**Bella hadn't had much sleep because of a late-running Quidditch practice the night before, and she hurried down to the Great Hall, slightly late. She thought, for a moment, that she'd walked through the wrong doors.**

No one laughed several others had thought the same.

**The walls were all covered with large, lurid pink flowers. Worse still, heart-shaped confetti was falling from the pale blue ceiling. Bella went over to the Gryffindor table, where Ron was sitting looking sickened, and Hermione seemed to have been overcome with giggles.**

"**What's going on?" Bella asked them, sitting down and wiping confetti off her mushrooms. She thought it was rather pretty,**

'TRAITOR!' yelled the twins.

'Next you'll be saying you like homework,' George sniffed.

**but it was a little much if it was going on their food.**

**Ron pointed to the teachers' table, apparently too disgusted to speak.**

**Lockhart, wearing lurid pink robes to match the decorations, was waving for silence. The teachers on either side of him were looking stony-faced. From where she sat, Bella could see a muscle going in Professor McGonagall's cheek. Snape looked as though someone had just fed him a large beaker of Skele-Gro.**

People snickered at the descriptions.

"**Happy Valentine's Day!" Lockhart shouted. "And may I thank the forty-six people who have so far sent me cards!** **Yes, I have taken the liberty of arranging this little surprise for you all — and it doesn't end here!"**

**Lockhart clapped his hands and through the doors to the entrance hall marched a dozen surly-looking dwarfs. Not just any dwarfs, however. Lockhart had them all wearing golden wings and carrying harps.**

"**My friendly,**

Bella snorted.

**card-carrying cupids!" beamed Lockhart.**

"**They will be roving around the school today delivering your valentines! And the fun doesn't stop here! I'm sure my colleagues will want to enter into the spirit of the occasion! Why not ask Professor Snape to show you how to whip up a Love Potion! And while you're at it, Professor Flitwick knows more about Entrancing Enchantments than any wizard I've ever met, the sly old dog!"**

Everyone felt sorry for Flitwick.

**Professor Flitwick buried his face in his hands.**

**Snape was looking as though the first person to ask him for a Love Potion would be force-fed poison.**

Again that brought up several sniggers, as he had the same look on his face.

"**Please, Hermione, tell me you weren't one of the forty-six," said Ron as they left the Great Hall for their first lesson. Hermione suddenly became very interested in searching her bag for her schedule and didn't answer.**

'That means yes,' Fred sniggered.

Bella cleared her throat warningly they both fell quiet.

**All day long, the dwarfs kept barging into their classes to deliver valentines, to the annoyance of the teachers, and late that afternoon as the Gryffindors were walking upstairs for Charms, one of the dwarfs caught up with Bella.**

'This is going to be good,' Sirius laughed rubbing his hands together, Bella hit him.

"**Oy, you! Bella Potter!" shouted a particularly grim-looking dwarf, elbowing people out of the way to get to Bella.**

**Hot all over at the thought of being given a valentine in front of a line of first years, which happened to include Ginny Weasley,** **Bella tried to escape. The dwarf, however, cut his way through the crowd by kicking people's shins, and reached her before she'd gone two paces.**

"**I've got a musical message to deliver to Bella Potter in person," he said, twanging his harp in a threatening sort of way.**

"_**Not here**_**," Bella hissed, trying to escape.**

"**Stay **_**still**_**!" grunted the dwarf, grabbing hold of Bella's bag and pulling her back.**

"**Let me go!" Bella snarled, tugging.**

**With a loud ripping noise, her bag split in two. Her books, wand, parchment, and quill spilled onto the floor and her ink bottle smashed over everything.**

**Bella scrambled around, trying to pick it all up before the dwarf started singing, causing something of a holdup in the corridor.**

"**What's going on here?" came the cold, drawling voice of Draco Malfoy. **

Everyone laughed at her luck

**Bella started stuffing everything feverishly into her ripped bag, desperate to get away before Malfoy could hear her musical valentine.**

"**What's all this commotion?" said another familiar voice as Percy Weasley arrived.**

**Losing her head, Bella tried to make a run for it, but the dwarf seized her around the knees and brought her crashing to the floor.**

"**Right," he said, sitting on Bella's ankles. "Here is your singing valentine, from a friend of Colin Creevey for Colin Creevey:**

'Wow that kid is good,'

Ginny looked down.

'The friend?' Bella asked her.

'I helped him write it sorry Bella,'

'It's fine,' she sighed.

_**Her eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad,**_

_**Her hair is as dark as a blackboard,**_

_**I wish she was mine, she's really divine,**_

_**The heroine who conquered the Dark Lord.**_**"**

'Catchy, real catchy.'

'Don't you dare start singing it again.' Bella growled she remembered what happened when they heard it.

**Bella would have given all the gold in Gringotts to evaporate on the spot. Trying valiantly to laugh along with everyone else, she got up, her feet numb from the weight of the dwarf, as Percy Weasley did his best to disperse the crowd,** **some of whom were crying with mirth.**

"**Off you go, off you go, the bell rang five minutes ago, off to class, now," he said, shooing some of the younger students away. "**_**And**_** you, Malfoy —"**

**Bella, glancing over, saw Malfoy stoop and snatch up something. Leering, he showed it to Crabbe and Goyle, and Bella realised that he'd got Riddle's diary.**

"**Give that back," said Bella quietly.**

"**Wonder what Potter's written in this?" said Malfoy, who obviously hadn't noticed the year on the cover and thought he had Bella's own diary. **

'That would be to low even for you surely,' Neville said.

Malfoy looked at him his lip curled the same way as his godfathers.

**A hush fell over the onlookers.**

'Every git there wants him too,' Fred said annoyed.

'Foul little prats,' George agreed.

'Do you have a diary?' Neville asked her curiously.

'No,' Bella said too quickly.

'She does,' Ron laughed. Bella glared at him.

'I do not,' she hissed.

'So what's that book that is under your pillow that has BP Diary on it?'

Bella pretended to look embarrassed, that was her fake one her real one was in the lining of her Hogwarts trunk and password protected after this year, this moment actually she knew a lot of people would want to read Bella Potters diary.

'Have you read it?' Bella said.

'Course not, but Seamus tried too,' Ron snickered.

'What happened?' Ginny said.

'It screamed like Bella then said "Oi get off my diary you nosy prat!" in her voice his face was a picture.' Ron said, Neville was laughing too.

**Ginny was staring from the diary to Bella, looking terrified.**

"**Hand it over, Malfoy," said Percy sternly.**

"**When I've had a look," said Malfoy, waving the diary tauntingly at Bella.**

**Percy said, "As a school prefect —" but Bella had lost her temper. She pulled out her wand and shouted, "**_**Expelliarmus!**_**" and just as Snape had disarmed Lockhart, so Malfoy found the diary shooting out of his hand into the air.**

**Ron, grinning broadly, caught it.**

"**Bella!" said Percy loudly. "No magic in the corridors. I'll have to report this, you know!"**

The Weasleys and Bella rolled their eyes. Prat, a lot of people thought.

**But Bella didn't care, she was one-up on Malfoy, and that was worth five points from Gryffindor any day.**

All the Gryffindors agreed.

**Malfoy was looking furious.**

**It wasn't until they had reached Professor Flitwick's class that Bella noticed something rather odd about Riddle's diary. All her other books were drenched in scarlet ink.**

Gryffindor's grinned at her ink choice.

**That she'd have to charm off later. **

'That's third year charm,' McGonagall said looking at Bella who went slightly pink.

'I know,' she blushed.

**The diary, however, was as clean as it had been before the ink bottle had smashed all over it.**

**She tried to point this out to Ron, but Ron was having trouble with his wand again; large purple bubbles were blossoming out of the end, and he wasn't much interested in anything else.**

**Bella went to bed before anyone else in her dormitory that night. This was partly because she didn't think she could stand Fred and George singing, "Her eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad" one more time,**

They high fived.

**and partly because she wanted to examine Riddle's diary again, and knew that Ron thought she was wasting her time.**

**Bella sat on her four-poster and flicked through the blank pages, not one of which had a trace of scarlet ink on it. Then she pulled a new bottle out of her bedside cabinet, dipped her quill into it, and dropped a blot onto the first page of the diary.**

**The ink shone brightly on the paper for a second and then, as though it was being sucked into the page, vanished. Excited, Bella loaded up her quill a second time and wrote, "My name is Bella Potter."**

Ginny grimaced and Mr Weasley's fists clenched both if his girl had used this diary and one of them it had almost killed.

**The words shone momentarily on the page and they, too, sank without trace. Then, at last, something happened.**

**Oozing back out of the page, in her very own ink, came words Bella had never written.**

"_**Hello, Bella Potter. My name is Tom Riddle. How did you come by my diary?"**_

**These words, too, faded away, but not before Bella had started to scribble back.**

"**Someone tried to flush it down a toilet."**

**She waited eagerly for Riddle's reply.**

"_**Lucky that I recorded my memories in some more lasting way than ink. But I always knew that there would be those who would not want this diary read."**_

"**What do you mean?" Bella scrawled, blotting the page in her excitement.**

"_**I mean that this diary holds memories of terrible things. Things that were covered up. Things that happened at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."**_

"**That's where I am now," Bella wrote quickly. "I'm at Hogwarts, and horrible stuff's been happening. Do you know anything about the Chamber of Secrets?"**

**Her heart was hammering. Riddle's reply came quickly, his writing becoming untidier, as though he was hurrying to tell all he knew.**

'Bastard,' Bella hissed.

'Isabella,' Remus scowled at her. She looked at him as thought to say not this time.

"_**Of course I know about the Chamber of Secrets. In my day, they told us it was a legend, that it did not exist. But this was a lie. In my fifth year,**_

Ha took you five years to find it, Bella thought smugly.

_**the Chamber was opened and the monster attacked several students, finally killing one. I caught the person who'd opened the Chamber and he was expelled. But the Headmaster, Professor Dippet, ashamed that such a thing had happened at Hogwarts, forbade me to tell the truth. A story was given out that the girl had died in a freak accident. They gave me a nice, shiny, engraved trophy for my trouble and warned me to keep my mouth shut. But I knew it could happen again. The monster lived on, and the one who had the power to release it was not imprisoned."**_

'No they weren't!' hissed Bella and Ginny at the same time.

**Bella nearly upset her ink bottle in her hurry to write back.**

"**It's happening again now. There have been three attacks and no one seems to know who's behind them. Who was it last time?"**

"_**I can show you, if you like," **_**came Riddle's reply. **_**"You don't have to take my word for it. I can take you inside my memory of the night when I caught him."**_

**Bella hesitated, her quill suspended over the diary. What did Riddle mean? How could she be taken inside somebody else's memory? She glanced nervously at the door to the dormitory, which was growing dark. When she looked back at the diary, she saw fresh words forming.**

"_**Let me show you."**_

'Impatient shit isn't he,' Ron muttered to her making her snort.

**Bella paused for a fraction of a second and then wrote two letters.**

"**OK."**

**T****he pages of the diary began to blow as though caught in a high wind, stopping halfway through the month of June. Mouth hanging open, Bella saw that the little square for June thirteenth seemed to have turned into a miniscule television screen. Her hands trembling slightly, she raised the book to press her eye against the little window, and before she knew what was happening, she was tilting forward; the window was widening, she felt her body leave her bed, and she was pitched headfirst through the opening in the page, into a whirl of colour and shadow. **

**She felt her feet hit solid ground, and stood, shaking, as the blurred shapes around her came suddenly into focus.**

**She knew immediately where she was. This circular room with the sleeping portraits was Dumbledore's office — but it wasn't Dumbledore who was sitting behind the desk. A wizened, frail-looking wizard, bald except for a few wisps of white hair, was reading a letter by candlelight. Bella had never seen this man before.**

'Dippet,' McGonagall muttered.

"**I'm sorry," she said shakily. "I didn't mean to butt in —"**

**But the wizard didn't look up. He continued to read, frowning slightly. Bella drew nearer to his desk and stammered, "Er — I'll just go, shall I?"**

**Still the wizard ignored her. He didn't seem even to have heard her. Thinking that the wizard might be deaf, Bella raised her voice.**

"**Sorry I disturbed you. I'll go now," she half-shouted.**

The twins couldn't laugh, not at this diary.

**The wizard folded up the letter with a sigh, stood up, walked past Bella without glancing at her, and went to draw the curtains at his window.**

**The sky outside the window was ruby-red; it seemed to be sunset. The wizard went back to the desk, sat down, and twiddled his thumbs, watching the door.**

**Bella looked around the office. No Fawkes the phoenix — no whirring silver contraptions. This was Hogwarts as Riddle had known it, meaning that this unknown wizard was Headmaster, not Dumbledore, and she, Bella, was little more than a phantom, completely invisible to the people of fifty years ago.**

'At least you finally catch on,' Moody said.

**There was a knock on the office door.**

"**Enter," said the old wizard in a feeble voice.**

**A boy of about sixteen entered, taking off his pointed hat. A silver prefect's badge was glinting on his chest. He was much taller than Bella, but he, too, had jet-black hair.**

"**Ah, Riddle," said the Headmaster.**

"**You wanted to see me, Professor Dippet?" said Riddle. He looked nervous.**

"**Sit down," said Dippet. "I've just been reading the letter you sent me."**

"**Oh," said Riddle. He sat down, gripping his hands together very tightly.**

"**My dear boy," said Dipper kindly, "I cannot possibly let you stay at school over the summer. Surely you want to go home for the holidays?"**

We are not the same we are not the same, Bella started to chant in her head.

"**No," said Riddle at once. "I'd much rather stay at Hogwarts than go back to that — to that —"**

"**You live in a Muggle orphanage during the holidays, I believe?" said Dippet curiously.**

"**Yes, sir," said Riddle, reddening slightly.**

"**You are Muggle-born?"**

"**Ha****lf-blood, sir," said Riddle. "Muggle father, witch mother."**

"**And are both your parents —?"**

"**My mother died just after I was born, sir. They told me at the orphanage she lived just long enough to name me — Tom after my father, Marvolo after my grandfather."**

**Dipper clucked his tongue sympathetically.**

"**The thing is, Tom," he sighed, "Special arrangements might have been made for you, but in the current circumstances…"**

"**You mean all these attacks, sir?" said Riddle, and Bella's heart leapt, and she moved closer, scared of missing anything.**

"**Precisely," said the headmaster. "My dear boy, you must see how foolish it would be of me to allow you to remain at the castle when term ends. Particularly in light of the recent tragedy… the death of that poor little girl… You will be safer by far at your orphanage. As a matter of fact, the Ministry of Magic is even now talking about closing the school. We are no nearer locating the — er — source of all this unpleasantness…"**

It right in front of you, Bella hissed in her head.

**Riddle's eyes had widened.**

"**Sir — if the person was caught — if it all stopped —"**

"**What do you mean?" said Dippet with a squeak in his voice, sitting up in his chair. "Riddle, do you mean you know something about these attacks?"**

"**No, sir," said Riddle quickly.**

**But Bella was sure it was the same sort of 'no' that she herself had given Dumbledore.**

**Dippet sank back, looking faintly disappointed.**

"**You may go, Tom…"**

**Riddle slid off his chair and slouched out of the room. Bella followed him.**

**Down the moving spiral staircase they went, emerging next to the gargoyle in the darkening corridor. Riddle stopped, and so did Bella, watching him. Bella could tell that Riddle was doing some serious thinking. He was biting his lip, his forehead furrowed.**

**Then, as though he had suddenly reached a decision, he hurried off, Bella gliding noiselessly behind him. They didn't see another person until they reached the entrance hall, when a tall wizard with long, sweeping auburn hair and a beard called to Riddle from the marble staircase.**

Bella grinned at Dumbledore who smiled back.

"**What are you doing, wandering around this late, Tom?"**

**Bella gaped at the wizard. He was none other than a fifty-year-younger Dumbledore.**

Dumbledore chuckled, imagining Bella's face.

"**I had to see the headmaster, sir," said Riddle.**

"**Well, hurry off to bed," said Dumbledore, giving Riddle exactly the kind of penetrating stare Bella knew so well.**

"**Best not to roam the corridors these days. Not since…"**

Dumbledore, Bella, Hermione, Ron, McGonagall all sighed thinking of Myrtle.

**He sighed heavily, bade Riddle good night, and strode off. Riddle watched him walk out of sight and then, moving quickly, headed straight down the stone steps to the dungeons, with Bella in hot pursuit.**

**But to Bella's disappointment, Riddle led him not into a hidden passageway or a secret tunnel but to the very dungeon in which Bella had Potions with Snape.**

People leaned closer to the top table listening with a strong curiosity.

**The torches hadn't been lit, and when Riddle pushed the door almost closed, Bella could only just see him, standing stock-still by the door, watching the passage outside.**

**It felt to Bella that they were there for at least an hour. All she could see was the figure of Riddle at the door, staring through the crack, waiting like a statue.**

**And just when Bella had stopped feeling expectant and tense and started wishing she could return to the present, she heard something move beyond the door.**

**Someone was creeping along the passage. She heard whoever it was pass the dungeon where she and Riddle were hidden. Riddle, quiet as a shadow, edged through the door and followed, Bella tiptoeing behind him, forgetting that she couldn't be heard.**

The twins couldn't help but snicker.

**For perhaps five minutes they followed the footsteps, until Riddle stopped suddenly, his head inclined in the direction of new noises. Bella heard a door creak open, and then someone speaking in a hoarse whisper.**

"**C'mon… gotta get yeh outta here… C'mon now… in the box…"**

**There was something familiar about that voice…**

Bella was using all her energy to calm down.

**Riddle suddenly jumped around the corner. Bella stepped out behind him. She could see the dark outline of a huge boy who was crouching in front of an open door, a very large box next to it.**

"**Evening, Rubeus," said Riddle sharply.**

**The boy slammed the door shut and stood up.**

"**What yer doin' down here, Tom?"**

**Riddle stepped closer.**

"**It's all over," he said. "I'm going to have to turn you in, Rubeus. They're talking about closing Hogwarts if the attacks don't stop."**

''**N at d'yeh —"**

"**I don't think you meant to kill anyone. But monsters don't make good pets. I suppose you just let it out for exercise and —"**

"**It never killed no one!" said the large boy, backing against the closed door. From behind him, Bella could hear a funny rustling and clicking.**

"**Come on, Rubeus," said Riddle, moving yet closer. "The dead girl's parents will be here tomorrow. The least Hogwarts can do is make sure that the thing that killed their daughter is slaughtered…"**

Bella smirked, shame it didn't happen for fifty years though.

"**It wasn't him!" roared the boy, his voice echoing in the dark passage. "He wouldn'! He never!"**

"**Stand aside," said Riddle, drawing out his wand.**

**His spell lit the corridor with a sudden flaming light. The door behind the large boy flew open with such force it knocked him into the wall opposite. And out of it came something that made Bella let out a long, piercing scream unheard by anyone.**

**A vast, low-slung, hairy body and a tangle of black legs; a gleam of many eyes and a pair of razor-sharp pincers — Riddle raised his wand again, but he was too late. The thing bowled him over as it scuttled away, tearing up the corridor and out of sight. Riddle scrambled to his feet, looking after it; he raised his wand, but the huge boy leapt on him, seized his wand, and threw him back down, yelling, "NOOOOOO!"**

'Hagrid,' sighed those who knew him well.

**The scene whirled, the darkness became complete; Bella felt herself falling and, with a crash, she landed spread-eagled on her four-poster in the Gryffindor dormitory, Riddle's diary lying open on her stomach.**

**Before she had had time to regain her breath, the dormitory door opened and Ron came in.**

"**There you are," he said.**

**Bella sat up. She was sweating and shaking.**

"**What's up?" said Ron, looking at her with concern.**

"**It was Hagrid, Ron. Hagrid was the one who was expelled for opening the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago."**

'You didn't say he did it just he was expelled for it,' Luna hummed quietly.

'I knew it couldn't be Hagrid, I just knew it,' Bella said.

'That's it,' Luna said.


	14. Cornelius Fudge

**"Cornelius Fudge." **Read Mr Weasley

**Bella, Ron, and Hermione had always known that Hagrid had an unfortunate liking for large and monstrous creatures. During their first year at Hogwarts he had tried to raise a dragon in his little wooden house, and it would be a long time before they forgot the giant, three-headed dog he'd christened "Fluffy." And if, as a boy, Hagrid had heard that a monster was hidden somewhere in the castle, Bella was sure he'd have gone to any lengths for a glimpse of it. He'd probably thought it was a shame that the monster had been cooped up so long, and thought it deserved the chance to stretch its many legs; Bella could just imagine the thirteen-year-old Hagrid trying to fit a leash and collar on it. But she was equally certain that Hagrid would never have meant to kill anybody.**

**Bella half wished she hadn't found out how to work Riddle's diary. Again and again Ron and Hermione made her recount what she'd seen, until she was heartily sick of telling them and sick of the long, circular conversations that followed.**

'Sorry,' they both mumbled.

"**Riddle might have got the wrong person," said Hermione. "Maybe it was some other monster that was attacking people…"**

"**How many monsters d'you think this place can hold?" Ron asked dully.**

'I don't even want to know,' said Bella thinking about over the years.

"**We always knew Hagrid had been expelled," said Bella miserably. "And the attacks must've stopped after Hagrid was kicked out. Otherwise, Riddle wouldn't have got his award."**

'Unless the git stopped attacking people,' muttered Bella angrily.

**Ron tried a different tack.**

"**Riddle does sound like Percy — who asked him to squeal on Hagrid, anyway?"**

"**But the monster had killed someone, Ron," said Hermione.**

"**And Riddle was going to go back to some Muggle orphanage if they closed Hogwarts," said Bella. "I don't blame him for wanting to stay here…"**

"**You met Hagrid down Knockturn Alley, didn't you, Bella?"**

"**He was buying a Flesh-Eating Slug Repellent," said Bella quickly. "I think he was framed," she said suddenly. **

Everyone who knew Hagrid and didn't know what happened nodded eagerly.

"**What?" they both said. **

"**Framed Hagrid, this monster is in the chamber of secrets right? Only an heir can open it, Hagrid's not the heir or it would have been happening for the last fifty years nonstop!" **

"**So he's was framed, by who?" Hermione said. **

"**The real heir," Bella said grimly. "The real heir tipped of Tom Riddle that Hagrid had a monster, automatically it would be thought to be the monster attacking everyone so Riddle tried to capture Hagrid," **

'Close,' she whispered to herself, 'very close.'

**The three of them fell silent. After a long pause, Hermione voiced the knottiest question of all in a hesitant voice.**

"**Do you think we should go and ask Hagrid about it all?"**

"**That'd be a cheerful visit," said Ron. "'Hello, Hagrid. We've worked out how you were expelled, do you know who framed you and told Riddle you had the monster?'"**

'Always tactful Ron,' said Hermione smiling.

**In the end, they decided that they would not say anything to Hagrid unless there was another attack,**

'Good idea' said Neville.

**and as more and more days went by with no whisper from the disembodied voice, they became hopeful that they would never need to talk to him about why he had been expelled. It was now nearly four months since Justin and Nearly Headless Nick had been Petrified, and nearly everybody seemed to think that the attacker, whoever it was, had retired for good. Peeves had finally got bored of his "Oh, Potter, you rotter" song, Ernie Macmillan asked Bella quite politely to pass a bucket of leaping toadstools in Herbology one day, and in March several of the Mandrakes threw a loud and raucous party in greenhouse three. This made Professor Sprout very happy.**

"**The moment they start trying to move into each other's pots, we'll know they're fully mature,"**

'And why would they want to do that,' said Fred as George started waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

'Get your minds out of the gutter,' said Hermione sharply.

**she told Bella. "Then we'll be able to revive those poor people in the hospital wing."**

**The second years were given something new to think about during their Easter holidays. The time had come to choose their subjects for the third year, a matter that Hermione, at least, took very seriously.**

"… **it could affect our whole future," she told Bella and Ron as they pored over lists of new subjects, marking them with checks.**

"**I just want to give up Potions," said Bella.**

Bella looked like she stood by that statement.

**"We can't," said Ron gloomily. "We keep all our old subjects, or I'd've ditched Defence Against the Dark Arts."**

"**But that's very important!" said Hermione, shocked.**

"**Not the way Lockhart teaches it," said Ron. "I haven't learned anything from him except not to set pixies loose."**

**Neville Longbottom had been sent letters from all the witches and wizards in his family, all giving him different advice on what to choose. Confused and worried, he sat reading the subject lists with his tongue poking out, asking people whether they thought Arithmancy sounded more difficult than the study of Ancient Runes. Dean Thomas, who, like Bella, had grown up with Muggles, ended up closing his eyes and jabbing his wand at the list, then picking the subjects it landed on. Hermione took nobody's advice but signed up for everything.**

'Thank you for that Hermione,' said Sirius very seriously.

'No problem,' she smiled. 'It was defiantly worth the stress.' Sirius gave her a look, she grinned back. Everyone looked confused besides the trio Remus and Dumbledore.

**Bella smiled grimly to herself at the thought of what Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia would say if she tried to discuss her career in wizardry with them.**

**Not that she didn't get any guidance: Percy Weasley was eager to share his experience.**

'Helping the arrogant little liar there Percy,' Fred said.

'And she didn't even have to ask,' George said.

"**Depends where you want to go, Isabella," he said. "It's never too early to think about the future, so I'd recommend Divination. **

Bella and Ron grimaced.

**People say Muggle Studies is a soft option, but I personally think wizards should have a thorough understanding of the non-magical community, particularly if they're thinking of working in close contact with them — look at my father, he has to deal with Muggle business all the time. My brother Charlie was always more of an outdoor type, so he went for Care of Magical Creatures. Play to your strengths, Isabella." **

**But the only thing Bella felt she was really good at was Quidditch. In the end, she chose **

**Care of Magical Creatures, because it sounded intrseting, Divination same reason and she thought she would go Ancient Runes.**

'But you don't – '

'Please don't go crazy,' she whispered.

**but then she thought about the way that might make her look smart so she stuck with the two.**

Everyone was silent and frozen, while Bella fidgeted nervously.

'They really drilled it into you didn't they,' Remus finally spoke. Bella didn't look at him.

'If it's any help, with everything that is going on with Voldemort and Umbridge and lack of sleep I probably couldn't do it anyway.'

'Let's keep reading,' Ron said. 'Dad?'

Arthur looked at Bella's face knowing she didn't want to speak to anyone and started again.

**It was quite funny in the end as she took the same new subjects as Ron. **

**Gryffindors next Quidditch match would be against Hufflepuff.**

**Wood was insisting on team practices every night after dinner, so that Bella barely had time for anything but Quidditch and homework. However, the training sessions were getting better, or at least drier, and the evening before Saturday's match she went up to her dormitory to drop off her broomstick feeling Gryffindor's chances for the Quidditch cup had never been better.**

Gryffindor's sighed.

**But her cheerful mood didn't last long. At the top of the stairs to the dormitory, she met Neville Longbottom,** **who was looking frantic.**

"**Bella — I don't know who did it — I just found —"**

**Watching Bella fearfully, Neville pushed open the door.**

**The contents of Bella's trunk had been thrown everywhere. Her cloak lay ripped on the floor. The bedclothes had been pulled off her four-poster and the drawer had been pulled out of her bedside cabinet, the contents strewn over the mattress.**

'And why wasn't I told about this,' McGonagall said.

'What was stolen wasn't mine in the first place.' Bella said.

'Riddle's diary,' Remus said, Bella nodded. 'And it wasn't their fault,' she insisted.

**Bella walked over to the bed, open-mouthed, treading on a few loose pages of Travels with Trolls. As she and Neville pulled the blankets back onto her bed, Ron, Dean, and Seamus came in. Dean swore loudly.**

McGonagall pursed her lips.

"**What happened, Bella?"**

"**No idea," said Bella. But Ron was examining Bella's robes. All the pockets were hanging out.**

"**Someone's been looking for something," said Ron. "Is there anything missing?"**

**Bella started to pick up all her things and throw them into her trunk. It was only as she threw the last of the Lockhart books back into it that she realised what wasn't there.**

"**Riddle's diary's gone," she said in an undertone to Ron.**

Ginny closed her eyes, if she had never gone for that diary…

"**What?"**

**Bella jerked her head toward the dormitory door and Ron followed her out. They hurried down to the Gryffindor common room, which was half-empty, and joined Hermione, who was sitting alone, reading a book called Ancient Runes Made Easy.**

**Hermione looked aghast at the news.**

"**But — only a Gryffindor could have stolen — nobody else knows our password —"**

Giving us the clue that the heir or whoever was working for the heir (purposely or not) was in Gryffindor. Bella thought miserably why hadn't she seen it?

"**Exactly," said Bella.**

**They woke the next day to brilliant sunshine and a light, refreshing breeze.**

"**Perfect Quidditch conditions!" said Wood enthusiastically at the Gryffindor table, loading the team's plates with scrambled eggs. "Bella, buck up there, you need a decent breakfast."**

**Bella had been staring down the packed Gryffindor table, wondering if the new owner of Riddle's diary was right in front of her eyes. Hermione had been urging her to report the robbery, but Bella didn't like the idea. She'd have to tell a teacher all about the diary, and how many people knew why Hagrid had been expelled fifty years ago? She didn't want to be the one who brought it all up again.**

Ginny gulped.

**As she left the Great Hall with Ron and Hermione to go and collect her Quidditch things, another very serious worry was added to Bella's growing list. She had just set foot on the marble staircase when she heard it yet again.**

**"Kill this time… let me rip… tear…"**

'It does make you jump,' Bella said trying to joke.

**She shouted aloud and Ron and Hermione both jumped away from her in alarm.**

**"The voice!" said Bella, -looking over her shoulder. "I just heard it again — didn't you?"**

**Ron shook his head, wide-eyed. Hermione, however, clapped a hand to her forehead.**

"**Bella — I think I've just understood something! I've got to go to the library!" And she sprinted away, up the stairs.**

"**What does she understand?" said Bella distractedly; still looking around, trying to tell where the voice had come from. **

"**Loads more than I do," said Ron, shaking his head. "It's weird how you are the only one that can hear this voice though." **

**Then Bella clicked, only she could hear this creature… it was a snake! A snake that can petrify people. **

"**Hermione no!" she yelled across the corridor. "It's too dangerous!" but Hermione had already left. **

"**What, blimey Bella you've gone pale. What's the matter?" **

"**Ron I just figured it out." She whispered. "Figured what Hermione's figured out."**

'Did you know it was a basilisk,' Ron whispered to her.

'No, just a snake,' Bella told him.

**Bella stood, irresolute, trying to catch the voice again, but people were now emerging from the Great Hall behind her, talking loudly, exiting through the front doors on their way to the Quidditch pitch.**

"**You'd better get moving," said Ron. "It's nearly eleven — the match —"**

**Bella raced up to Gryffindor Tower, collected her Nimbus Two Thousand, and joined the large crowd swarming across the grounds, but her mind was still in the castle along with the bodiless voice, and as she pulled on her scarlet robes in the locker room, her only comfort was that everyone was now outside to watch the game. **

'Except Hermione and Penelope,' muttered Bella darkly.

**Afterward she would find McGonagall and tell her about her discovery. **

**The teams walked onto the field to tumultuous applause. Oliver Wood took off for a warm-up flight around the goal posts; Madam Hooch released the balls. The Hufflepuffs, who played in canary yellow, were standing in a huddle, having a last-minute discussion of tactics.**

Bella sighed as she remembered Cedric in that huddle.

**Bella was just mounting her broom when Professor McGonagall came half marching, half running across the pitch, carrying an enormous purple megaphone.**

**Bella's heart dropped like a stone.**

"**This match has been cancelled,"**

**Professor McGonagall called through the megaphone, addressing the packed stadium. There were boos and shouts. Oliver Wood, looking devastated, landed and ran toward Professor McGonagall without getting off his broomstick.**

"**But, Professor!" he shouted. "We've got to play — the cup —Gryffindor —"**

The old team shook their heads.

**Professor McGonagall ignored him and continued to shout through her megaphone:**

"**All students are to make their way back to the House common rooms, where their Heads of Houses will give them further information. As quickly as you can, please!"**

**Then she lowered the megaphone and beckoned Bella over to her.**

"**Potter, I think you'd better come with me…"**

**Wondering if Hermione had told her about the voice**

'No but you should,'

**she could hear Bella did as she was told, Bella saw Ron detach himself from the complaining crowd; he came running up to them as they set off toward the castle. To Bella's surprise, Professor McGonagall didn't object.**

"**Yes, perhaps you'd better come, too, Weasley…"**

**Some of the students swarming around them were grumbling about the match being cancelled; others looked worried. Bella and Ron followed Professor McGonagall back into the school and up the marble staircase. But they weren't taken to anybody's office this time.**

'No it was much worse,' said Ron quietly.

"**This will be a bit of a shock," said Professor McGonagall in a surprisingly gentle voice as they approached the infirmary. "There has been another attack… another double attack."**

**Bella's insides did a horrible somersault. Professor McGonagall pushed the door open and she and Ron entered… **

**Madam Pomfrey was bending over a fifth-year girl with long, curly hair.**

**Bella recognised her as the Ravenclaw they'd accidentally asked for directions to the Slytherin common room.**

**And on the bed next to her was —**

'Hermione,' sighed everyone knowing it before it was read.

"**Hermione!" Ron groaned.**

**Hermione lay utterly still, her eyes open and glassy.**

"**They were found near the library," said Professor McGonagall. "I don't suppose either of you can explain this? It was on the floor next to them…"**

**She was holding up a small, circular mirror, she thought it must be linked somehow, she would have to see what snakes could petrify people. **

"**I will escort Miss Potter and Mr Weasley to their common room I must speak to them."**

**As they were walking out they got half way to the common room when Bella blurted out. **

"**I think the monsters a kind of snake," both Ron and McGonagall stopped walking and turned to look at her. **

"**Excuse me?" McGonagall said watching her closely. **

"**I…" Bella blushed as she tried to tell her if she thought she was mad and got kicked out then she had tried to help Hermione.**

'Of course I wouldn't think that Potter,' McGonagall said.

"**I can hear the monster, that's why we were where we were on Halloween I could hear a voice… a cold voice, saying 'Rip tear kill… I smell blood!' things like that. Ron told me hearing voices even in the wizarding world wasn't a good sign, but before every attack this voice…" she took another deep breath. "Hermione figured it out seconds before I did before the match. It's parceltongue that's why I am the only person who can hear it speak." Bella looked at her feet throughout telling her, worried of McGonagall's reaction. **

"**Thank you for this information, Potter," McGonagall said in the same gentle voice she had used on the way to see Hermione. **

'I could see you were worried about telling this information might mean.

"**That does make sense a monster Slytherin's heir can control an heir would be a parcelmouth."**

"**Do you think I could control it, talk back, tell it to stop?"**

"**No Potter, the heir may go after you if you try."**

"**But then if you catch it…"**

"**Potter, are you suggesting we put you up as bait?" McGonagall said, her tone made Bella look up she almost looked mad. **

'I was mad,' McGonagall. 'Those suggestions should never come out of a twelve year old,'

'How about fifteen?' Bella said.

'How about you never suggest it again,' said Sirius darkly.

"**If it stops the attacks –"**

"**And it may well kill you in the process, no Potter you are not to speak to it, you are to inform a professor when you hear it do you understand?"**

"**Yes, Professor." **

Ron nudged her heard.

'What I didn't promise,' she whispered so quietly Ron barely heard but Remus did and he frowned.

"**All students will return to their House common rooms by six o'clock in the evening. No student is to leave the dormitories after that time. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No student is to use the bathroom unaccompanied by a teacher. All further Quidditch training and matches are to be postponed. There will be no more evening activities."**

**The Gryffindors packed inside the common room listened to Professor McGonagall in silence. She rolled up the parchment from which she had been reading and said in a somewhat choked voice, "I need hardly add that I have rarely been so distressed. It is likely that the school will be closed unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught. I would urge anyone who thinks they might know anything about them to come forward."**

**She climbed somewhat awkwardly out of the portrait hole, and the Gryffindor's began talking immediately.**

"**That's two Gryffindors down, not counting a Gryffindor ghost, one Ravenclaw, and one Hufflepuff, " said the Weasley twins' friend Lee Jordan, counting on his fingers. "Haven't any of the teachers noticed that the Slytherins are all safe? Isn't it obvious all this stuff's coming from Slytherin? The Heir of Slytherin, the monster of Slytherin — why don't they just chuck all the Slytherins out?" he roared, to nods and scattered applause. Percy Weasley was sitting in a chair behind Lee, but for once he didn't seem keen to make his views heard. He was looking pale and stunned.**

"**Percy's in shock," George told Bella quietly. "That Ravenclaw girl — Penelope Clearwater — she's a prefect. I don't think he thought the monster would dare attack a prefect."**

'Or its cause it was his girlfriend,' said Bella.

**But Bella was only half-listening. She didn't seem to be able to get rid of the picture of Hermione, lying on the hospital bed as though carved out of stone. And if the culprit wasn't caught soon, she was looking at a lifetime back with the Dursleys. Tom Riddle had turned Hagrid in because he was faced with the prospect of a Muggle orphanage if the school closed. Bella now knew exactly how he had felt.**

Bella groaned, they were so similar...

'It's not how you are alike,' said Dumbledore watching her, 'it's how you are not.' He said firmly, Bella nodded, she would never become like him.

"**What're we going to do?" said Ron quietly in Bella's ear. "D'you think they suspect Hagrid?"**

"**We've got to go and talk to him," said Bella, making up her mind. "I can't believe it's him this time, but if he knows who framed him we might be able to find there kid and stop them."**

"**But McGonagall said we've got to stay in our tower unless we're in class —"**

"**I think," said Bella, more quietly still, "it's time to get my dad's old cloak out again."**

McGonagall groaned.

**Bella had inherited just one thing from her father: a long and silvery Invisibility Cloak. It was their only chance of sneaking out of the school to visit Hagrid without anyone knowing about it. They went to bed at the usual time, waited until Neville, Dean, and Seamus had stopped discussing the Chamber of Secrets and finally fallen asleep, then got up, dressed again, and threw the cloak over themselves.**

**The journey through the dark and deserted castle corridors wasn't enjoyable. Bella, who had wandered the castle at night several times before, had never seen it so crowded after sunset. Teachers, prefects, and ghosts were marching the corridors in pairs, staring around for any unusual activity. Their Invisibility Cloak didn't stop them making any noise, and there was a particularly tense moment when Ron stubbed his toe only yards from the spot where Snape stood standing guard. Thankfully, Snape sneezed at almost exactly the moment Ron swore. **

Snape glared at the two of them, but they grinned back.

**It was with relief that they reached the oak front doors and eased them open.**

**It was a clear, starry night. They hurried toward the lit windows of Hagrid's house and pulled off the cloak only when they were right outside his front door.**

**Seconds after they had knocked, Hagrid flung it open. They found themselves face-to-face with him aiming a crossbow at them.**

'That was odd,' said Luna dreamily, everyone stared at the girl in shock she could hardly talk about odd.

**Fang the boarhound barked loudly behind him.**

"**Oh," he said, lowering the weapon and staring at them. "What're you two doin' here?"**

"**What's that for?" said Bella, pointing at the crossbow as they stepped inside.**

**"Nothin' — nothin' —" Hagrid muttered. "I've bin expectin' — doesn' matter — Sit down — I'll make tea —"**

**He hardly seemed to know what he was doing. He nearly extinguished the fire, spilling water from the kettle on it, and then smashed the teapot with a nervous jerk of his massive hand.**

"**Are you okay, Hagrid?" said Bella. "Did you hear about Hermione?"**

"**Oh, I heard, all righ'," said Hagrid, a slight break in his voice.**

'Poor Hagrid,' muttered Fred

'Knew he was going to get blamed,' said George.

**He kept glancing nervously at the windows. He poured them both large mugs of boiling water (he had forgotten to add tea bags) and was just putting a slab of fruitcake on a plate when there was a loud knock on the door.**

**Hagrid dropped the fruitcake. Bella and Ron exchanged panicstricken looks, then threw the Invisibility Cloak back over themselves and retreated into a corner. Hagrid checked that they were hidden, seized his crossbow, and flung open his door once more.**

"**Good evening, Hagrid."**

**It was Dumbledore. He entered, looking deadly serious, and was followed by a second, very odd-looking man.**

Ron sniggered knowing who that was.

**The stranger had rumpled grey hair and an anxious expression, and was wearing a strange mixture of clothes: a pinstriped suit, a scarlet tie, a long black cloak, and pointed purple boots. Under his arm he carried a lime-green bowler.**

'He does have weird fashion sense,' Bill laughed.

"**That's Dad's boss!" Ron breathed. "Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic!"**

**Bella elbowed Ron hard to make him shut up.**

**Hagrid had gone pale and sweaty. He dropped into one of his chairs and looked from Dumbledore to Cornelius Fudge.**

**"Bad business, Hagrid," said Fudge in rather clipped tones. "Very bad business. Had to come. Four attacks on Muggle-borns. Things've gone far enough. Ministry's got to act."**

'Got to act,' muttered Bella, 'not evidence.'

"**I never," said Hagrid, looking imploringly at Dumbledore. "You know I never, Professor Dumbledore, sir —"**

"**I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence," said Dumbledore, frowning at Fudge.**

"**Look, Albus," said Fudge, uncomfortably. "Hagrid's record's against him. Ministry's got to do something — the school governors have been in touch —"**

'One especially I imagine,' Bella said glaring at Malfoy who glared back.

"**Yet again, Cornelius, I tell you that taking Hagrid away will not help in the slightest," said Dumbledore. His blue eyes were full of a fire Bella had never seen before.**

'Have since,' Bella mumbled glancing at the head master.

"**Look at it from my point of view," said Fudge, fidgeting with his bowler. "I'm under a lot of pressure. Got to be seen to be doing something.**

'Seen to be doing something Percy,' Bella said looking at him pleadingly. He turned his face away from her, she sighed as Mr Weasley continued to read.

**If it turns out it wasn't Hagrid, he'll be back and no more said. But I've got to take him. Got to. Wouldn't be doing my duty —"**

"**Take me?" said Hagrid, who was trembling. "Take me where?"**

"**For a short stretch only," said Fudge, not meeting Hagrid's eyes. "Not a punishment, **

Bella snorted loudly. 'If it wasn't a punishment they could have taken him to the ministry in isolation!' she snarled.

**Hagrid, more a precaution. If someone else is caught, you'll be let out with a full apology —"**

"**Not Azkaban?" croaked Hagrid. **

Sirius had gone pale at the mention of the horrible place. Bella hugged him comfortingly.

'I'd force you onto my lap but I don't fancy being squashed,' she said smiling at him, he gave a weak chuckle, hugging her back like a lifeline. Remus clamped his shoulder too.

**Before Fudge could answer, there was another loud rap on the door.**

**Dumbledore answered it. It was Bella's turn for an elbow in the ribs; she'd let out an audible gasp.**

'Letting me know you were there,' Dumbledore said his eyes twinkling.

**Mr. Lucius Malfoy strode into Hagrid's hut, swathed in a long black travelling cloak, smiling a cold and satisfied smile. Fang started to growl.**

'Kill Fang, kill,' muttered Bella. 'Good boy kill!'

"**Already here, Fudge," he said approvingly. "Good, good…"**

"**What're you doin' here?" said Hagrid furiously. "Get outta my house!"**

'Go Hagrid!' yelled the twins.

"**My dear man, please believe me, I have no pleasure at all in being inside your — er — d'you call this a house?"**

Bella growled angrily.

**said Lucius Malfoy, sneering as he looked around the small cabin. "I simply called at the school and was told that the headmaster was here."**

"**And what exactly did you want with me, Lucius?" said Dumbledore. He spoke politely, but the fire was still blazing in his blue eyes.**

"**Dreadful thing, Dumbledore," said Malfoy lazily, taking out a long roll of parchment, "but the governors feel it's time for you to step aside.**

'WHAT!' yelled everyone who didn't know.

'Take away Dumbledore and they'll be far more attacks,' Remus said horrified others nodded in agreement.

**This is an Order of Suspension — you'll find all twelve signatures on it.**

'How many did he blackmail,' Mr Weasley snapped.

**I'm afraid we feel you're losing your touch. How many attacks have there been now? Two more this afternoon, wasn't it? At this rate, there'll be no Muggle-borns left at Hogwarts, and we all know what an awful loss that would be to the school."**

"**Oh, now, see here, Lucius," said Fudge, looking alarmed, "Dumbledore suspended — no, no — last thing we want just now."**

"**The appointment — or suspension — of the headmaster is a matter for the governors, Fudge," said Mr. Malfoy smoothly. "And as Dumbledore has failed to stop these attacks —"**

"**See here, Malfoy, if Dumbledore can't stop them," said Fudge, whose upper lip was sweating now, "I mean to say, who can?"**

'Seems he trusts you quite a bit sir,' Bella said as Percy went red.

"**That remains to be seen," said Mr. Malfoy with a nasty smile. "But as all twelve of us have voted —"**

**Hagrid leapt to his feet, his shaggy black head grazing the ceiling.**

'**An' how many did yeh have ter threaten an' blackmail before they agreed, Malfoy, eh?" **

'GO HAGRID!' yelled the kids.

**he roared.**

"**Dear, dear, you know, that temper of yours will lead you into trouble one of these days, Hagrid," said Mr. Malfoy. "I would advise you not to shout at the Azkaban guards like that. They won't like it at all."**

"**Yeh can' take Dumbledore!" yelled Hagrid, making Fang the boarhound cower and whimper in his basket. "Take him away, an' the Muggle-borns won' stand a chance! There'll be killin' next!"**

"**Calm yourself, Hagrid," said Dumbledore sharply. He looked at Lucius Malfoy.**

"**If the governors want my removal, Lucius, I shall of course step aside —"**

"**But —" stuttered Fudge.**

"**No!" growled Hagrid.**

**Dumbledore had not taken his bright blue eyes off Lucius Malfoy's cold grey ones.**

"**However," said Dumbledore, speaking very slowly and clearly so that none of them could miss a word, "you will find that I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me… Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it."**

'Very subtle sir,' Bella grinned, he chuckled merrily.

**For a second, Bella was almost sure Dumbledore's eyes flickered toward the corner where she and Ron were hidden.**

**"Admirable sentiments," said Malfoy, bowing. "We shall all miss your — er — highly individual way of running things, Albus, and only hope your successor will manage to prevent any — ah — killins."**

**He strode to the cabin door, opened it, and bowed Dumbledore out. Fudge, fiddling with his bowler, waited for Hagrid to go ahead of him, but Hagrid stood his ground, took a deep breath, and said carefully, "If anyone wanted ter find out some stuff, all they'd have ter do would be ter follow the spiders. That'd lead 'em right. That's all I'm sayin'."**

**Fudge stared at him in amazement.**

**"All right, I'm comin', said Hagrid, pulling on his moleskin overcoat. But as he was about to follow Fudge through the door, he stopped again and said loudly, "An' someone'll need ter feed Fang while I'm away."**

'Good old Hagrid,' said Bella smiling.

**The door banged shut and Ron pulled off the Invisibility Cloak.**

"**We're in trouble now," Ron said hoarsely. "No Dumbledore. They might as well close the school tonight. There'll be an attack a day with him gone."**

**Fang started howling, scratching at the closed door.**

'That's it,' said Mr Weasley.

'I'll read' said Ron taking the book. **"Aragog" **he read.


	15. Aragog

"**Aragog" **Ron read.

Ron shuddered and Bella went a little pale.

'Can I be petrified too,' whispered Ron. Hermione hit him.

**Summer was creeping over the grounds around the castle; sky and lake alike turned periwinkle blue and flowers large as cabbages burst into bloom in the greenhouses. But with no Hagrid visible from the castle windows, striding the grounds with Fang at his heels, the scene didn't look right to Bella; no better, in fact, than the inside of the castle, where things were so horribly wrong.**

Bella nodded agreeing with the statement all those who liked Hagrid nodded in agreement.

**Bella and Ron had tried to visit Hermione, but visitors were now barred from the hospital wing.**

"**We're taking no more chances," Madam Pomfrey told them severely through a crack in the infirmary door. "No, I'm sorry, there's every chance the attacker might come back to finish these people off…"**

'He won't, he has a new target!' growled Bella, Hermione leaned over Ron and rubbed her arm soothingly.

**With Dumbledore gone, fear had spread as never before, so that the sun warming the castle walls outside seemed to stop at the mullioned windows. There was barely a face to be seen in the school that didn't look worried and tense, and any laughter that rang through the corridors sounded shrill and unnatural and was quickly stifled.**

Dumbledore sighed.

**Bella constantly repeated Dumbledore's final words to herself "I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me… Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it." But what good were these words? Who exactly were they supposed to ask for help, when everyone was just as confused and scared as they were?**

**Hagrid's hint about the spiders was far easier to understand. **

'Well it's Hagrid,' said Ginny smiling.

**The trouble was, there didn't seem to be a single spider left in the castle to follow. Bella looked everywhere she went, helped (rather reluctantly) by Ron.**

Both mention teens shivered again.

**They were hampered, of course, by the fact that they weren't allowed to wander off on their own but had to move around the castle in a pack with the other Gryffindors. Most of their fellow students seemed glad that they were being shepherded from class to class by teachers, but Bella found it very irksome.**

'Yes how dare someone try and stop you doing something, dangerous and reckless!" said Fred dramatically.

"Trying to protect you. Disgusting." George said pulling a face. Ron rolled his eyes as his brothers Bella scowled at them.

**One person, however, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the atmosphere of terror and suspicion.**

Malfoy fidgeted nervously.

**Draco Malfoy was strutting around the school as though he had just been appointed Head Boy. Bella didn't realise what he was so pleased about until the Potions lesson about two weeks after Dumbledore and Hagrid had left, when, sitting right behind Malfoy, Bella overheard him gloating to Crabbe and Goyle.**

"**I always thought Father might be the one who got rid of Dumbledore," he said, not troubling to keep his voice down.**

"**I told you he thinks Dumbledore's the worst headmaster the school's ever had. Maybe we'll get a decent headmaster now. Someone who won't want the Chamber of Secrets closed. McGonagall won't last long, she's only filling in…"**

Many glares were sent at Malfoy who hid behind Snape.

**Snape swept past Bella, making no comment about Hermione's empty seat and cauldron.**

"**Sir," said Malfoy loudly. "Sir, why don't you apply for the headmaster's job?"**

"**Now, now, Malfoy," said Snape, though he couldn't suppress a thin-lipped smile. "Professor Dumbledore has only been suspended by the governors. I daresay he'll be back with us soon enough."**

'Bet he ends up Headmaster," Ron grumbled. 'I won't bloody be there when he is even if I'm meant to be,'

Bella looked at Hermione she wrote it down.

"**Yeah, right," said Malfoy, smirking. "I expect you'd have Father's vote, sir, if you wanted to apply for the job— I'll tell Father you're the best teacher here, sir —"**

**Snape smirked as he swept off around the dungeon, fortunately not spotting Seamus Finnigan, who was pretending to vomit into his cauldron.**

"**I'm quite surprised the Mudbloods**

'I did not hear that language however,' Snape said scowling.

**haven't all packed their bags by now," Malfoy went on. "Bet you five Galleons the next one dies. Pity it wasn't Granger —"**

**The bell rang at that moment, which was lucky; at Malfoy's last words, Ron had leapt off his stool, and in the scramble to collect bags and books, his attempts to reach Malfoy went unnoticed.**

"**Let me at him," Ron growled as Bella and Dean hung onto his arms.**

**"I don't care, I don't need my wand, I'm going to kill him with my bare hands —"**

Hermione hugged Ron, who looked shocked but very pleased.

"**Hurry up, I've got to take you all to Herbology," barked Snape over the class's heads, and off they marched, with Bella, Ron, and Dean bringing up the rear, Ron still trying to get loose. It was only safe to let go of him when Snape had seen them out of the castle and they were making their way across the vegetable patch toward the greenhouses.**

**The Herbology class was very subdued; there were now two missing from their number, Justin and Hermione.**

**Professor Sprout set them all to work pruning the Abyssinian Shrivelfigs. Bella went to tip an armful of withered stalks onto the compost heap and found herself face-to-face with Ernie Macmillan. Ernie took a deep breath and said, very formally, "I just want to say, Bella, that I'm sorry I ever suspected you. I know you'd never attack Hermione Granger, and I apologize for all the stuff I said. We're all in the same boat now, and, well —"**

**He held out a pudgy hand, and Bella shook it.**

'Too forgiving,' Ron muttered.

**Ernie and his friend Hannah came to work at the same Shrivelfig as Bella and Ron.**

"**That Draco Malfoy character," said Ernie, breaking off dead twigs, "he seems very pleased about all this, doesn't he? D'you know, I think he might be Slytherin's heir."**

"**That's clever of you," said Ron, who didn't seem to have forgiven Ernie as readily as Bella.**

'No I bloody wasn't I'd seen your nightmares,' Ron said darkly.

"**Do you think it's Malfoy, Bella?" Ernie asked.**

"**No," said Bella, so firmly that Ernie and Hannah stared.**

**A second later, Bella spotted something.**

**Several large spiders were scuttling over the ground on the other side of the glass, moving in an unnaturally straight line as though taking the shortest route to a prearranged meeting. Bella hit Ron over the hand with her pruning shears.**

The twins laughed imagining it.

"**Ouch! What're you —"**

**Bella pointed out the spiders, following their progress with his eyes screwed up against the sun.**

"**Oh, yeah," said Ron, trying, and failing, to look pleased. "But we can't follow them now —"**

**Ernie and Hannah were listening curiously.**

**Bella's eyes narrowed as she focused on the spiders. If they pursued their fixed course, there could be no doubt about where they would end up.**

"**Looks like they're heading for the Forbidden Forest…"**

**And Ron looked even unhappier about that.**

'Most would,' Neville said, going pale for his friends.

**At the end of the lesson Professor Sprout escorted the class to their Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson. Bella and Ron lagged behind the others so they could talk out of earshot.**

"**We'll have to use the Invisibility Cloak again," Bella told Ron. "We can take Fang with us. He's used to going into the forest with Hagrid, he might be some help."**

"**Right," said Ron, who was twirling his wand nervously in his fingers. "Er — aren't there — aren't there supposed to be werewolves in the forest?" he added as they took their usual places at the back of Lockhart's classroom.**

"**It's not a full moon tonight," Bella said, "There are good things in there, too. The centaurs are all right, and the unicorns…"**

**Ron had never been into the Forbidden Forest before. Bella had entered it only once and had hoped never to do so again.**

She laughed at that.

'How many times have you been in that forest Potter,' Snape said silkily to her.

First year, Bella thought lifting a fingers in the lightly clenched hand, second year, third, forth – she lifted a finger with each thought.

'Four no five Hagrid took us in this year to look a Thestrals.' She said, McGonagall pursed her lips.

**Lockhart bounded into the room and the class stared at him. Every other teacher in the place was looking grimmer than usual, but Lockhart appeared nothing short of buoyant.**

"**Come now," he cried, beaming around him. "Why all these long faces?"**

**People swapped exasperated looks, but nobody answered.**

"**Don't you people realise," said Lockhart, speaking slowly, as though they were all a bit dim, "the danger has passed! The culprit has been taken away —"**

"**Says who?" said Dean Thomas loudly.**

"**My dear young man, the Minister of Magic wouldn't have taken Hagrid if he hadn't been one hundred percent sure that he was guilty,"**

Those who were in the order or knew the truth snorted very loudly, Percy's ears went pink.

**said Lockhart, in the tone of someone explaining that one and one made two.**

"**Oh, yes he would," said Ron, even more loudly than Dean.**

"**I flatter myself I know a touch more about Hagrid's arrest than you do, Mr. Weasley," said Lockhart in a self-satisfied tone.**

'Sure you do, you big fraud,' muttered Ron angrily.

**Ron started to say that he didn't think so, somehow, but stopped in midsentence when Bella kicked him hard under the desk.**

"**We weren't there, remember?" Bella muttered.**

**But Lockhart's disgusting cheeriness, his hints that he had always thought Hagrid was no good, his confidence that the whole business was now at an end, irritated Bella so much that she yearned to throw Gadding with Ghouls right in Lockhart's stupid face.**

**Instead she contented herself with scrawling a note to Ron: Let's do it tonight.**

The twins opened there mouths

'Don't even go there!' Bella and Ron hissed together, just in case they didn't get the message; Bella sent the biggest glare she could.

**Ron read the message, swallowed hard, and looked sideways at the empty seat usually filled by Hermione. The sight seemed to stiffen his resolve, and he nodded.**

**The Gryffindor common room was always very crowded these days, because from six o'clock onward the Gryffindors had nowhere else to go. They also had plenty to talk about, with the result that the common room often didn't empty until past midnight.**

**Bella went to get the Invisibility Cloak out of her trunk right after dinner, and as she tucked it in her robes she heard it again. **

"**Kill this time… Let me rip you… Kill… Kill the friend, the boy."**

Bella swore loudly making everyone jump. Without warning Bella pounced on Ron and burst into tears.

'Hey,' he said bewildered, rubbing her back soothingly.

'Potter what on earth –' Snape snapped.

'He had changed targets. It wasn't Muggleborns but me, that why he went for Hermione. I didn't remember exactly what it said but Ron that's you, the friend the boy.'

"**Stop!" Bella cried **

'Potter I told you not to!' McGonagall barked.

'It worked,' Bella said.

'That is not the point it may have meant it went for you,'

'With the choice of Ron or me, I'd rather it went for me!'

'BELLA/ISABELLA!" everyone cried.

'When are you going to realise you are important too!' Ron snapped at her hitting her arm.

'Ow!' she hissed.

'You are just as important as Ron and everyone else in this room,' Sirius said glaring at her.

'Alright, it doesn't matter now anyway,' Bella pointed out. 'It's already done.

**she heard the strange hissing exit her mouth. "Go back!"**

"**Kill!" it hissed, directly beside her. **

"**STOP! GO BACK TO THE CHAMBER!" Bella yelled as loud as she could. "GO BACK! DON'T KILL! GO BACK!" **

"**Return later," it hissed and she couldn't hear the voice anymore. Ron Fred and George bounded into the room. **

"**Bella are you alright?" cried George **

"**We heard loud hissing," Cried Fred. **

"**I thought – " Ron said. **

"**Ron relax it was me," she said. "I stopped it," **

"**Bella, McGonagall told you not too." he said angrily. **

"**I know but it was going after a specific person, the friend the boy." Bella said wondering what that could mean…**

"**Let's go back downstairs," said Fred looking at the ceiling and subtly pulling Ron back out the dorm.**

'Or not so subtle,' Ron sniggered. 

"**Yeah, we'll play exploding snap," George added, picking Bella up. **

Bella scowled at George who grinned at her.

"**Hey!"**

"**Talk to your fanged serpent later oh great heir," George said as he walked down the stairs. **

"**Not funny," she mumbled. She and Ron waited for the common room to clear. After what had just happened she was defiantly following the spiders tonight. Fred and George challenged Bella and Ron to a few games of Exploding Snap, and Ginny sat watching them, very subdued in Hermione's usual chair.**

Ginny looked down and those who knew scowled.

**Bella and Ron kept losing on purpose, trying to finish the games quickly, but even so, it was well past midnight when Fred, George, and Ginny finally went to bed.**

**Bella and Ron waited for the distant sounds of two dormitory doors closing before seizing the cloak, throwing it over themselves, and climbing through the portrait hole.**

**It was another difficult journey through the castle, dodging all the teachers. At last they reached the entrance hall, slid back the lock on the oak front doors, squeezed between them, trying to stop any creaking, and stepped out into the moonlit grounds.**

"'**Course," said Ron abruptly as they strode across the black grass, "we might get to the forest and find there's nothing to follow. Those spiders might not've been going there at all. I know it looked like they were moving in that sort of general direction, but…"**

**His voice trailed away hopefully.**

**They reached Hagrid's house, sad and sorry-looking with its blank windows. When Bella pushed the door open, Fang went mad with joy at the sight of them. Worried he might wake everyone at the castle with his deep, booming barks, they hastily fed him treacle fudge from a tin on the mantelpiece, which glued his teeth together.**

Everyone who had eaten Hagrid's fudge laughed loudly.

**Bella left the Invisibility Cloak on Hagrid's table. There would be no need for it in the pitch-dark forest.**

"**C'mon, Fang, we're going for a walk," said Bella, patting his leg, and Fang bounded happily out of the house behind them, dashed to the edge of the forest, and lifted his leg against a large sycamore tree.**

**Bella took out her wand, murmured, "Lumos!" and a tiny light appeared at the end of it, just enough to let them watch the path for signs of spiders.**

"**Good thinking," said Ron. "I'd light mine, too, but you know — it'd probably blow up or something…"**

**Bella tapped Ron on the shoulder, pointing at the grass. Two solitary spiders were hurrying away from the wand light into the shade of the trees.**

"**Okay," Ron sighed as though resigned to the worst, "I'm ready. Let's go."**

Fred was feeling really guilty he didn't know his little prank would lead to this fear, it was only accidental magic.

**So, with Fang scampering around them, sniffing tree roots and leaves, they entered the forest. By the glow of Bella's wand, they followed the steady trickle of spiders moving along the path. They walked behind them for about twenty minutes, not speaking, listening hard for noises other than breaking twigs and rustling leaves. Then, when the trees had become thicker than ever, so that the stars overhead were no longer visible, and Bella's wand shone alone in the sea of dark,**

'That can be dangerous other things can see you.' Moody growled.

**they saw their spider guides leaving the path.**

**Bella paused, trying to see where the spiders were going, but everything outside her little sphere of light was pitch-black. She had never been this deep into the forest before. She could vividly remember Hagrid advising her not to leave the forest path last time she'd been in here. But Hagrid was miles away now, probably sitting in a cell in Azkaban, and he had also said to follow the spiders.**

**Something wet touched Bella's hand and she jumped backward, crushing Ron's foot, but it was only Fang's nose.**

'Jumpy?' Fred said.

'Just a little,' Bella said scowling at him.

"**What d'you reckon?" Bella said to Ron, whose eyes she could just make out, reflecting the light from her wand.**

"**We've come this far," said Ron.**

**So they followed the darting shadows of the spiders into the trees. They couldn't move very quickly now; there were tree roots and stumps in their way, barely visible in the near blackness. For once Bella didn't fall adrenaline and fear pumped so fiercely it drove her weakness away. **

'I am so grateful that happens, that's why I take the clumsy jokes so well, I'd rather be covered in bruises and have the halls full of laugher from the young students and amused sniggers and eye rolling of third years and up.' Bella said.

**Bella could feel Fang's hot breath on her hand. More than once, they had to stop, so that Bella could crouch down and find the spiders in the wandlight.**

**They walked for what seemed like at least half an hour, their robes snagging on low-slung branches and brambles. After a while, they noticed that the ground seemed to be sloping downward, though the trees were as thick as ever.**

**Then Fang suddenly let loose a great, echoing bark, making both Bella and Ron jump out of their skins.**

"**What?" said Ron loudly, looking around into the pitch-dark, and gripping Bella's elbow very hard.**

'Sorry,' he muttered, she looked at him as though to say: Doesn't matter.

"**There's something moving over there," Bella breathed. "Listen… sounds like something big…"**

Mrs Weasley was holding her face tightly, Sirius's arm was twitching for his goddaughter who glared at him when she noticed.

**They listened. Some distance to their right, the something big was snapping branches as it carved a path through the trees.**

"**Oh, no," said Ron. "Oh, no, oh, no, oh —"**

"**Shut up," said Bella frantically. "It'll hear you."**

"**Hear me?" said Ron in an unnaturally high voice. "It's already heard Fang!"**

**The darkness seemed to be pressing on their eyeballs as they stood, terrified, waiting. There was a strange rumbling noise and then silence.**

"**What d'you think it's doing?" said Bella.**

"**Probably getting ready to pounce," said Ron.**

'Ron!' his mother snapped at him her nerves were on thin wires.

**They waited, shivering, hardly daring to move.**

"**D'you think it's gone?" Bella whispered.**

"**Dunno —"**

**Then, to their right, came a sudden blaze of light, so bright in the darkness that both of them flung up their hands to shield their eyes. Fang yelped and tried to run, but got lodged in a tangle of thorns and yelped even louder.**

"**Bella!" Ron shouted, his voice breaking with relief "Bella, it's our car!"**

Everyone but Ron, Bella, Hermione, Ginny, Mr and Mrs Weasley, Dumbledore and McGonagall sighed in relief they knew the relevance to Aragog.

"**What?"**

"**Come on!"**

**Bella blundered after Ron toward the light, stumbling and tripping, and a moment later they had emerged into a clearing.**

**Mr. Weasley's car was standing, empty, in the middle of a circle of thick trees under a roof of dense branches, its headlights ablaze. As Ron walked, open-mouthed, toward it, it moved slowly toward him, exactly like a large, turquoise dog greeting its owner.**

Sirius grinned at the analogy.

"**It's been here all the time!" said Ron delightedly, walking around the car. "Look at it. The forest's turned it wild…"**

**The sides of the car were scratched and smeared with mud. Apparently it had taken to trundling around the forest on its own. Fang didn't seem at all keen on it; he kept close to Bella, who could feel him quivering.**

'Bloody coward,' Bella said fondly.

**Her breathing slowing down again, Bella stuffed her wand back into her robes.**

"**And we thought it was going to attack us!" said Ron, leaning against the car and patting it. "I wondered where it had gone!"**

**Bella squinted around on the floodlit ground for signs of more spiders, but they had all scuttled away from the glare of the headlights.**

"**We've lost the trail," she said. "C'mon, let's go and find them."**

**Ron didn't speak. He didn't move. His eyes were fixed on a point some ten feet above the forest floor, right behind Bella. His face was livid with terror.**

'Oh no,' whispered Mrs Weasley.

**Bella didn't even have time to turn around. There was a loud clicking noise and suddenly she felt something long and hairy seize her around the middle and lift her off the ground, so that she was hanging facedown. **

Sirius swore loudly.

'Relax it doesn't attack us,' Bella said… yet.

**Struggling, terrified, she heard more clicking, and saw Ron's legs leave the ground, too, heard Fang whimpering and howling — next moment, she was being swept away into the dark trees.**

**Head hanging, Bella saw that what had hold of her was marching on six immensely long, hairy legs, **

'It's an Acromantula!' Charlie cried looking anxiously between Ron and Bella.

**the front two clutching her tightly below a pair of shining black pincers. Behind her, she could hear another of the creatures, no doubt carrying Ron. They were moving into the very heart of the forest.**

'You'll end up back there,' Ron whispered.

Hermione wrote it down shakily.

**Bella could hear Fang fighting to free himself from a third monster, whining loudly, but Bella couldn't have yelled even if she had wanted to; she seemed to have left her voice back with the car in the clearing.**

**She never knew how long she was in the creature's clutches; she only knew that the darkness suddenly lifted enough for her to see that the leaf-strewn ground was now swarming with spiders. Craning her neck sideways, she realised that they had reached the ridge of a vast hollow, a hollow that had been cleared of trees, so that the stars shone brightly onto the worst scene she had ever laid eyes on.**

**Spiders. Not tiny spiders like those surging over the leaves below. Spiders the size of carthorses, eight-eyed, eight-legged, black, hairy, gigantic. The massive specimen that was carrying Bella made its way down the steep slope toward a misty, domed web in the very centre of the hollow, while its fellows closed in all around it, clicking their pincers excitedly at the sight of its load.**

Mrs Weasley shuddered.

**Bella fell to the ground on all fours as the spider released her, she quickly moved her hair out of her eyes. Ron and Fang thudded down next to her. Fang wasn't howling anymore, but cowering silently on the spot. Ron looked exactly like Bella felt. His mouth was stretched wide in a kind of silent scream and his eyes were popping.**

'Good to know you were nearly as frightened as I was,' Ron muttered to her, she gave him a weak smile.

**Bella suddenly realised that the spider that had dropped her was saying something. It had been hard to tell, because he clicked his pincers with every word he spoke.**

"**Aragog!" it called. "Aragog!"**

Ron shuddered.

**And from the middle of the misty, domed web, a spider the size of a small elephant emerged, very slowly. There was gray in the black of his body and legs, and each of the eyes on his ugly, pincered head was milky white. He was blind.**

'Aragog,' Bella said quietly.

"**What is it?" he said, clicking his pincers rapidly.**

"**Humans," clicked the spider who had caught Bella.**

"**Is it Hagrid?" said Aragog, moving closer, his eight milky eyes wandering vaguely.**

"**Strangers," clicked the spider who had brought Ron.**

"**Kill them," clicked Aragog fretfully. "I was sleeping…"**

"**We're friends of Hagrid's," Bella shouted. Her heart seemed to have left her chest to pound in her throat.**

**Click, click, click went the pincers of the spiders all around the hollow.**

**Aragog paused.**

"**Hagrid has never sent others into our hollow before," he said slowly.**

"**Hagrid's in trouble," said Bella, breathing very fast. "That's why we've come."**

They sighed in relief thinking that would keep them safe.

"**In trouble?" said the aged spider, and Bella thought she heard concern beneath the clicking pincers.**

'So he does actually care for Hagrid,' Remus said.

'Just Hagrid,' Ron muttered.

**"But why has he sent you?"**

**Bella thought of getting to her feet but decided against it; she didn't think her legs would support her. So she spoke from the ground, as calmly as she could.**

'Which was bloody calm for where we were,' Ron said his voice cracking slightly.

**"They think, up at the school, that Hagrid's been setting a — a — something on students. They've taken him to Azkaban."**

**Aragog clicked his pincers furiously, and all around the hollow the sound was echoed by the crowd of spiders; it was like applause, except applause didn't usually make Bella feel sick with fear.**

'Unless they are applauding you,' Fred said, she stuck her tongue out at them.

"**But that was years ago," said Aragog fretfully. "Years and years ago. I remember it well. That's why they made him leave the school. They believed that I was the monster that dwells in what they call the Chamber of Secrets. They thought that Hagrid had opened the Chamber and set me free."**

"**And you… you didn't come from the Chamber of Secrets?" said Bella, who could feel cold sweat on her forehead.**

**"****I!" said Aragog, clicking angrily. "I was not born in the castle. I come from a distant land. A traveller gave me to Hagrid when I was an egg. Hagrid was only a boy, but he cared for me, hidden in a cupboard in the castle, feeding me on scraps from the table. Hagrid is my good friend, and a good man.**

'Yeah he is,' Bella said, Malfoy wanted to snort but contained it.

**When I was discovered, and blamed for the death of a girl, he protected me. I have lived here in the forest ever since, where Hagrid still visits me. He even found me a wife, Mosag, and you see how our family has grown, all through Hagrid's goodness…"**

'Yeah, goodness,' Ron muttered, before continuing to read.

**Bella summoned what remained of her courage.**

"**So you never — never attacked anyone?"**

"**Never," croaked the old spider. "It would have been my instinct, but out of respect for Hagrid, I never harmed a human. The body of the girl who was killed was discovered in a bathroom. I never saw any part of the castle but the cupboard in which I grew up. Our kind like the dark and the quiet…"**

"**But then… Do you know what did kill that girl?" said Bella. "Because whatever it is, it's back and attacking people again —"**

**Her words were drowned by a loud outbreak of clicking and the rustling of many long legs shifting angrily; large black shapes shifted all around her**.

"**The thing that lives in the castle," said Aragog, "is an ancient creature we spiders fear above all others. Well do I remember how I pleaded with Hagrid to let me go, when I sensed the beast moving about the school."**

"**What is it?" said Bella urgently.**

**More loud clicking, more rustling; the spiders seemed to be closing in.**

"**We do not speak of it!" said Aragog fiercely. "We do not name it! I never even told Hagrid the name of that dread creature, though he asked me, many times."**

'It's kind of like the creature version of You Know Who,' said Luna dreamily.

'Looks like him as well,' said Bella, making Ron and the twins laugh, Sirius and Remus couldn't help but crack small smiles.

**Bella didn't want to press the subject, not with the spiders pressing closer on all sides. Aragog seemed to be tired of talking. He was backing slowly into his domed web, but his fellow spiders continued to inch slowly toward Bella and Ron.**

"**We'll just go, then," Bella called desperately to Aragog, hearing leaves rustling behind her.**

"**Go?" said Aragog slowly. "I think not…"**

"**But — but —"**

"**My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid, on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat, when it wanders so willingly into our midst. Good-bye, friend of Hagrid."**

'Hagrid will hear about this!' stormed McGonagall. 'If he thinks that creature is completely loyal to him someone has to set him straight!'

Sirius wrapped his arms around his goddaughter the same time Mrs Weasley pounced on Ron.

'Mum, I'm reading let go!' he grumbled.

**Bella spun around. Feet away, towering above her was a solid wall of spiders, clicking, their many eyes gleaming in their ugly black heads.**

**Even as she reached for her wand, Bella knew it was no good, there were too many of them, but as she tried to stand, ready to die fighting,**

'You seem to do that a lot,' said Tonks faintly, Bella shrugged and Sirius held her tighter.

**a loud, long note sounded, and a blaze of light flamed through the hollow.**

**Mr. Weasley's car was thundering down the slope, **

'Oh thank goodness,' Mrs Weasley whispered, Mr Weasley nodded weakly, he would pay his 50 galleon fine twenty times over than the car not be there when they needed it.

**headlights glaring, its horn screeching, knocking spiders aside; several were thrown onto their backs, their endless legs waving in the air. The car screeched to a halt in front of Bella and Ron and the doors flew open.**

"**Get Fang!" Bella yelled, diving into the front seat; Ron seized the boarhound around the middle and threw him, yelping, into the back of the car — the doors slammed shut — Ron didn't touch the accelerator but the car didn't need him; the engine roared and they were off, hitting more spiders.**

'You can let us go now,' Ron said.

'Us?'

'Hardly seem fair Bella still gets suffocated,' he said grinning slightly, neither adult let go.

**They sped up the slope, out of the hollow, and they were soon crashing through the forest, branches whipping the windows as the car wound its way cleverly through the widest gaps, following a path it obviously knew.**

**Bella looked sideways at Ron. His mouth was still open in the silent scream, but his eyes weren't popping anymore.**

"**Are you okay?"**

**Ron stared straight ahead, unable to speak.**

**They smashed their way through the undergrowth, Fang howling loudly in the back seat, and Bella saw the side mirror snap off as they squeezed past a large oak. After ten noisy, rocky minutes, the trees thinned, and Bella could again see patches of sky.**

'We really are safe that's it,' Bella whispered to Sirius he let her midriff go.

**The car stopped so suddenly that they were nearly thrown into the windshield. They had reached the edge of the forest. Fang flung himself at the window in his anxiety to get out, and when Bella opened the door, he shot off through the trees to Hagrid's house, tail between his legs. Bella got out too, and after a minute or so, Ron seemed to regain the feeling in his limbs and followed, still stiff-necked and staring. Bella gave the car a grateful pat as it reversed back into the forest and disappeared from view.**

'Good car,' said Fred as though it was a dog.

'We'll come back with some petrol,' George said in the same voice. Bella laughed and George tried not to look too pleased with himself.

**Bella went back into Hagrid's cabin to get the Invisibility Cloak. Fang was trembling under a blanket in his basket. When Bella got outside again, she found Ron being violent sick in the pumpkin patch.**

'Oh Ronnie,' Mrs Weasley whispered. She kissed him.

'Mum geroff!' he said squirming away, she finally let him go and sat back next to Mr Weasley.

"**Follow the spiders," said Ron weakly, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "I'll never forgive Hagrid. We're lucky to be alive."**

"**I bet he thought Aragog wouldn't hurt friends of his," said Bella.**

**"That's exactly Hagrid's problem!" said Ron, thumping the wall of the cabin. "He always thinks monsters aren't as bad as they're made out, and look where it's got him! A cell in Azkaban!" He was shivering uncontrollably now. "What was the point of sending us in there? What have we found out, I'd like to know?"**

"**That Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets," said Bella, throwing the cloak over Ron and prodding him in the arm to make him walk. "He was innocent."**

**Ron gave a loud snort. Evidently, hatching Aragog in a cupboard wasn't his idea of being innocent.**

"**We thought be been framed anyway," Ron said. **

"**And now we know for definite," Bella said.**

**As the castle loomed nearer Bella twitched the cloak to make sure their feet were hidden, then pushed the creaking front doors ajar. They walked carefully back across the entrance hall and up the marble staircase, holding their breath as they passed corridors where watchful sentries were walking. At last they reached the safety of the Gryffindor common room, where the fire had burned itself into glowing ash. They took off the cloak and climbed the winding stair to their dormitory.**

**Ron fell onto his bed without bothering to get undressed. Bella, however, didn't feel very sleepy. She sat on the edge of her fourposter, thinking hard about everything Aragog had said.**

**The creature that was lurking somewhere in the castle, she thought, sounded like a sort of monster Voldemort — even other monsters didn't want to name it. **

Luna beamed at her.

**But she and Ron were no closer to finding out what it was, or how it petrified its victims. **

**Bella swung her legs up onto her bed and leaned back against her pillows, watching the moon glinting at her through the tower window.**

**She couldn't see what else they could do. They had hit dead ends everywhere. Riddle had caught the wrong person, the Heir of Slytherin had got off, and no one could tell whether it was the same person, or a different one, who had opened the Chamber this time. There was nobody else to ask. Bella lay down, still thinking about what Aragog had said.**

**She was becoming drowsy when what seemed like their very last hope occurred to her, and she suddenly sat bolt upright.**

'What?' Remus said wearily.

'You'll see,' Bella said.

"**Ron," she hissed through the dark, "Ron —"**

**Ron woke with a yelp like Fang's, stared wildly around, and saw Bella.**

"**Ron — that girl who died. Aragog said she was found in a bathroom," said Bella, ignoring Neville's snuffling snores from the corner. "What if she never left the bathroom? What if she's still there?"**

'Myrtle,' gasped everyone.

**Ron rubbed his eyes, frowning through the moonlight. And then he understood, too.**

"**You don't think — not Moaning Myrtle?"**

'That's the end of the chapter,' Ron said holding out the book.

'I haven't in a while,' Neville said getting up to go and get it.

"**The Chamber of Secrets" **Neville read.

_**Hi everyone I'll explain that add in about the basilisk going after Ron and Bella stopping it. **_

_**I just thought the bit of Voldemort's soul is the same size as the bit in Bella so it without the soul on its own technically Bella could control it too but with this I've thought if it went for Ron. Ginny would fight weakening Tom and making Bella win even though if it was Bella and Tom Riddle because Voldemort soul isn't an active part of Bella it would listen to Tom. **_

_**Hope that explains what I thought xxxxxxx**_


	16. The Chamber of Secrets

"**Chamber of Secrets" **read Neville.

"**All those times we were in that bathroom, and she was just three toilets away," said Ron bitterly at breakfast next day, "and we could've asked her, and now…"**

**It had been hard enough trying to look for spiders. Escaping their teachers long enough to sneak into a girls' bathroom, the girls' bathroom, moreover, right next to the scene of the first attack, was going to be almost impossible.**

'Somehow you'll still do it,' said Neville, they always did.

**But something happened in their first lesson, Transfiguration, that drove the Chamber of Secrets out of their minds for the first time in weeks. Ten minutes into the class, Professor McGonagall told them that their exams would start on the first of June, one week from today.**

All the kids grumbled.

**"****Exams?" howled Seamus Finnigan. "We're still getting exams?"**

**There was a loud bang behind Bella as Neville Longbottom's wand slipped, vanishing one of the legs on his desk. Professor McGonagall restored it with a wave of her own wand, and turned, frowning, to Seamus.**

**"****The whole point of keeping the school open at this time is for you to receive your education," she said sternly. "The exams will therefore take place as usual, and I trust you are all studying hard."**

'Come on Minerva is it likely,' Remus said.

'No,' she admitted. 'But we had too, it's a school.'

**Studying hard! It had never occurred to Bella that there would be exams with the castle in this state. There was a great deal of mutinous muttering around the room, which made Professor McGonagall scowl even more darkly.**

**"****Professor Dumbledore's instructions were to keep the school running as normally as possible, she said. "And that, I need hardly point out, means finding out how much you have learned this year."**

**Bella looked down at the pair of white rabbits she was supposed to be turning into slippers. What had she learned so far this year? A lot but, she couldn't show it. **

Everyone scowled again at Bella's habit of failing on purpose.

**Ron looked as though he'd just been told he had to go and live in the Forbidden Forest.**

Ron glared at her.

'You did,' she said defensively.

**"****Can you imagine me taking exams with this?" he asked Bella, holding up his wand, which had just started whistling loudly.**

Ron and Bella grinned at each other.

**Three days before their first exam, Professor McGonagall made another announcement at breakfast.**

**"****I have good news," she said, and the Great Hall, instead of falling silent, erupted.**

**"****Dumbledore's coming back!" several people yelled joyfully.**

**"****You've caught the Heir of Slytherin!" squealed a girl at the Ravenclaw table.**

**"****Quidditch matches are back on!" roared Wood excitedly.**

His teammates laughed, shaking their heads.

**When the hubbub had subsided, Professor McGonagall said, "Professor Sprout has informed me that the Mandrakes are ready for cutting at last. Tonight, we will be able to revive those people who have been Petrified. I need hardly remind you all that one of them may well be able to tell us who, or what, attacked them. I am hopeful that this dreadful year will end with our catching the culprit."**

'Nope,' sighed Hermione.

**There was an explosion of cheering. Bella looked over at the Slytherin table and wasn't at all surprised to see that Draco Malfoy hadn't joined in. Ron, however, was looking happier than he'd looked in days.**

Because he likes Hermione! Bella thought so hard you would think she was trying to tell them both with telepathy.

**"It won't matter that we never asked Myrtle, then!" he said to Bella. "Hermione'll probably have all the answers when they wake her up! Mind you, she'll go crazy when she finds out we've got exams in three days' time. She hasn't studied. It might be kinder to leave her where she is till they're over."**

Ron got whacked over the head repeatedly of Hermione for this comment. While everyone else snorted it was probably true.

**Just then, Ginny Weasley came over and sat down next to Ron. She looked tense and nervous, and Bella noticed that her hands were twisting in her lap.**

**"****What's up?" said Ron, helping himself to more porridge.**

**Ginny didn't say anything, but glanced up and down the Gryffindor table with a scared look on her face that reminded Bella of someone, though she couldn't think who.**

**"****Spit it out," said Ron, watching her.**

**Bella suddenly realised who Ginny looked like. She was rocking backward and forward slightly in her chair, exactly like Dobby did when he was teetering on the edge of revealing forbidden information.**

Ginny had gone really pale; she was too worried to even yell at Bella for the comparison.

**"****I've got to tell you something," Ginny mumbled, carefully not looking at Bella.**

**"****What is it?" said Bella.**

**Ginny looked as though she couldn't find the right words.**

**"****What?" said Ron.**

**Ginny opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Bella leaned forward and spoke quietly, so that only Ginny and Ron could hear her.**

**"****Is it something about the Chamber of Secrets? Have you seen something? Someone acting oddly?"**

**Ginny drew a deep breath and, at that precise moment, Percy Weasley appeared, looking tired and wan.**

**"****If you've finished eating, I'll take that seat, Ginny. I'm starving, I've only just come off patrol duty."**

The twins scowled at Percy, who shifted uneasy. How was he supposed to know!

**Ginny jumped up as though her chair had just been electrified, gave Percy a fleeting, frightened look, and scampered away. Percy sat down and grabbed a mug from the centre of the table.**

**"****Percy!" said Ron angrily. "She was just about to tell us something important!"**

**Halfway through a gulp of tea, Percy choked.**

**"****What sort of thing?" he said, coughing.**

**"****I just asked her if she'd seen anything odd, and she started to say…"**

**"****Oh — that — that's nothing to do with the Chamber of Secrets," said Percy at once.**

**"****How do you know?" said Ron, his eyebrows raised.**

**"****Well, er, if you must know, Ginny, er, walked in on me the other day when I was — well, never mind — the point is, she spotted me doing something and I, um, I asked her not to mention it to anybody. I must say, I did think she'd keep her word. It's nothing, really, I'd just rather —"**

**Bella had never seen Percy look so uncomfortable.**

Present Percy also looked uncomfortable.

**"****What were you doing, Percy?" said Ron, grinning. "Go on, tell us, we won't laugh."**

**Percy didn't smile back.**

**"****Pass me those rolls, Isabella, I'm starving."**

"**Bella" she corrected once again. **

**Bella knew the whole mystery might be solved tomorrow without their help, but she wasn't about to pass up a chance to speak to Myrtle if it turned up — and to her delight it did, midmorning, when they were being led to History of Magic by Gilderoy Lockhart.**

People groaned they were going to have to listen to that prat again.

**Lockhart, who had so often assured them that all danger had passed, only to be proved wrong right away, was now wholeheartedly convinced that it was hardly worth the trouble to see them safely down the corridors. His hair wasn't as sleek as usual; it seemed he had been up most of the night, patrolling the fourth floor.**

**"****Mark my words," he said, ushering them around a corner. "The first words out of those poor Petrified people's mouths will be 'It was Hagrid.' Frankly, I'm astounded Professor McGonagall thinks all these security measures are necessary."**

**"****I agree, sir," said Bella,**

Several mouths dropped other caught on immediately.

'What?' cried the twins.

'Give it a minute,' she said rolling her eyes.

**making Ron drop his books in surprise.**

**"****Thank you, Bella," said Lockhart graciously while they waited for a long line of Hufflepuffs to pass. "I mean, we teachers have quite enough to be getting on with, without walking students to classes and standing guard all night…"**

**"****That's right," said Ron, catching on. "Why don't you leave us here, sir, we've only got one more corridor to go —"**

**"****You know, Weasley, I think I will," said Lockhart. "I really should go and prepare my next class —"**

**And he hurried off.**

**"****Prepare his class," Ron sneered after him. "Gone to curl his hair, more like."**

Everyone snorted.

**They let the rest of the Gryffindors draw ahead of them, then darted down a side passage and hurried off toward Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. But just as they were congratulating each other on their brilliant scheme.**

**"****Potter! Weasley! What are you doing?"**

'Minnie,' whined Sirius

'Black!' she growled.

**It was Professor McGonagall, and her mouth was the thinnest of thin lines.**

**"****We were — we were —" Ron stammered. "We were going to — to go and see —"**

**"****Hermione," said Bella. Ron and Professor McGonagall both looked at her.**

'Potter!' barked McGonagall, glaring at her.

'I had too,' said Bella hiding behind Sirius. 'It was important! And thank you professor without you we wouldn't have gone and we wouldn't have known what creature was in the chamber.' McGonagall paled, as did many others.

**"****We haven't seen her for ages, Professor," Bella went on hurriedly, treading on Ron's foot, "and we thought we'd sneak into the hospital wing, you know, and tell her the Mandrakes are nearly ready and, er, not to worry —"**

'That was so innocent and cute,' Tonks said.

'And that is why she'll let them go,'

'I've learnt already I have to watch you three more carefully,' she said scowling.

**Professor McGonagall was still staring at her, and for a moment, Bella thought she was going to explode, but when she spoke, it was in a strangely croaky voice.**

**"Of course," she said, and Bella, amazed, saw a tear glistening in her beady eye. "Of course, I realise this has all been hardest on the friends of those who have been… I quite understand. Yes, Potter, of course you may visit Miss Granger. I will inform Professor Binns where you've gone. Tell Madam Pomfrey I have given my permission."**

'You actually got away with it,' said the twins in awe.

'I got good genes,' Bella shrugged but she couldn't help the grin that was etched onto her face.

**Bella and Ron walked away, hardly daring to believe that they'd avoided detention. As they turned the corner, they distinctly heard Professor McGonagall blow her nose.**

'I'm not the only one who is a soft touch,' Dumbledore murmured to her, she smiled at him.

**"****That," said Ron fervently, "was the best story you've ever come up with."**

**Bella gave a mock bow grinning at him. **

'Her size helped to I'd imagine,' Fred said.

'Small with big eyes a dangerous combination in a curious, danger magnet of a girl.' George agreed she glared at them.

**They had no choice now but to go to the hospital wing and tell Madam Pomfrey that they had Professor McGonagall's permission to visit Hermione. **

**Madam Pomfrey let them in, but reluctantly.**

**"****There's just no point talking to a Petrified. person," she said, and they had to admit she had a point when they'd taken their seats next to Hermione. It was plain that Hermione didn't have the faintest inkling that she had visitors, and that they might just as well tell her bedside cabinet not to worry for all the good it would do.**

She huffed but then sighed as she knew it was true also.

**"Wonder if she did see the attacker, though?" said Ron, looking sadly at Hermione's rigid face. "Because if he sneaked up on them all, no one'll ever know…"**

**But Bella wasn't looking at Hermione's face. She was more interested in her right hand. It lay clenched on top of her blankets, and bending closer, she saw that a piece of paper was scrunched inside her fist.**

'Took you long enough,' Hermione said rolling her eyes.

'Well excuse me for being worried about my petrified friend.

**Making sure that Madam Pomfrey was nowhere near, she pointed this out to Ron.**

**"****Go on and get it out," Ron whispered, shifting his chair so that he blocked Bella from Madam Pomfrey's view.**

**It was no easy task. Hermione's hand was clamped so tightly around the paper that Bella was sure she was going to tear it. While Ron kept watch she tugged and twisted, and at last, after several tense minutes, the paper came free.**

**It was a page torn from a very old library book.**

'Tut tut, Hermione,' Fred said.

'Ripping a page out of a Library book, shame on you,' George said.

'Shut up,' she said.

**Bella smoothed it out eagerly and Ron leaned close to read it, too.**

**"****Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, known also as the King of Serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic size**

'Yeah no kidding,' said Bella. Ginny nodded in agreement.

**and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it."**

**And beneath this, a single word had been written, in a hand Bella recognised as Hermione's. Pipes.**

**It was as though somebody had just flicked a light on in her brain, that's how she could hear this snake through the walls.**

**"****Ron," she breathed. "This is it. This is the answer. The monster in the Chamber's a basilisk — a giant serpent! That's why I've been hearing that voice all over the place, and nobody else has heard it. It's because I understand Parseltongue…"**

**Bella looked up at the beds around her.**

**"****The basilisk kills people by looking at them. But no one's died — because no one looked it straight in the eye. **

'Of course,' Remus breathed. 'It's the reflections, the camera, through Nick, and Hermione knew to look around the corner with the mirror and told the prefect to do the same.'

**Colin saw it through his camera. The basilisk burned up all the film inside it, but Colin just got Petrified. Justin… Justin must've seen the basilisk through Nearly Headless Nick! Nick got the full blast of it, but he couldn't die again… and Hermione and that Ravenclaw prefect were found with a mirror next to them. Hermione had just realised the monster was a basilisk. I bet you anything she warned the first person she met to look around corners with a mirror first! And that girl pulled out her mirror — and —"**

'How close was it,' Bella said to her friend.

'Three corridors,' she whispered.

**Ron's jaw had dropped.**

**"****And Mrs. Norris?" he whispered eagerly.**

**Bella thought hard, picturing the scene on the night of Halloween.**

'You'll be a fine auror,' Moody said.

**"****The water…" she said slowly. "The flood from Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. I bet you Mrs. Norris only saw the reflection…"**

**She scanned the page in her hand eagerly. The more she looked at it, the more it made sense.**

**"… ****The crowing of the rooster… is fatal to it"! she read aloud. "Hagrid's roosters were killed! The Heir of Slytherin didn't want one anywhere near the castle once the Chamber was opened! Spiders flee before it.! It all fits!"**

**"****But how's the basilisk been getting around the place?" said Ron. "A giant snake… Someone would've seen…"**

**Bella, however, pointed at the word Hermione had scribbled at the foot of the page.**

**"****Pipes," she said. "Pipes… Ron, it's been using the plumbing. I've been hearing that voice inside the walls…"**

**Ron suddenly grabbed Bella's arm.**

**"****The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets!" he said hoarsely. "What if it's a bathroom? What if it's in —"**

**"****Moaning Myrtle's bathroom," said Bella.**

**They sat there, excitement coursing through them, hardly able to believe it.**

'They cracked the thousand year mystery,' Bill said. 'Three second years cracked the Chamber of Secrets,'

**"****This means," said Bella, "I can't be the only Parselmouth in the school. The Heir of Slytherin's one, too. That's how he's been controlling the basilisk."**

**"****What're we going to do?" said Ron, whose eyes were flashing. "Should we go straight to McGonagall?"**

McGonagall was glad they trusted her, but what stopped them from going to her?

**"****Let's go to the staff room," said Bella, jumping up. "She'll be there in ten minutes. It's nearly break."**

**They ran downstairs. Not wanting to be discovered hanging around in another corridor, they went straight into the deserted staff room. It was a large, panelled room full of dark, wooden chairs. Bella and Ron paced around it, too excited to sit down.**

**But the bell to signal break never came.**

**Instead, echoing through the corridors came Professor McGonagall's voice, magically magnified.**

**"****All students are to return to their House dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staff room. Immediately, please."**

'Why didn't I see you in the staff room?' McGonagall said her eyes narrowing.

'Wardrobe,' Bella said.

**Bella wheeled around to stare at Ron. "Not another attack? Not now?"**

**"****What'll we do?" said Ron, aghast. "Go back to the dormitory?"**

**"****No," said Bella, glancing around. There was an ugly sort of wardrobe to her left, full of the teachers' cloaks. "In here. Let's hear what it's all about. Then we can tell them what we've found out."**

McGonagall sighed figuring out why they hadn't told her.

**They hid themselves inside it, listening to the rumbling of hundreds of people moving overhead, and the staff room door banging open. From between the musty folds of the cloaks, they watched the teachers filtering into the room. Some of them were looking puzzled, others downright scared. Then Professor McGonagall arrived.**

**"****It has happened," she told the silent staff room. "A student has been taken by the monster. Right into the Chamber itself."**

**Professor Flitwick let out a squeal. Professor Sprout clapped her hands over her mouth. Snape gripped the back of a chair very hard and said, "How can you be sure?"**

**"****The Heir of Slytherin," said Professor McGonagall, who was very white, "left another message. Right underneath the first one. 'Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever.'"**

**Professor Flitwick burst into tears.**

'It must be weird seeing them all like this,' Luna said. 'Not like teachers.'

'You get used to it,' Bella said.

**"****Who is it?" said Madam Hooch, who had sunk, weak-kneed, into a chair. "Which student?"**

**"****Ginny Weasley,"**

'WHAT!' cried, Tonks, Sirius, Remus, Mad eye.

Ginny looked at her hands on her lap.

'And as you can see we got her back healthy and her usual self.' Bella said.

'_We?_' hissed Sirius.

'Like me and Ron aren't going down now, come on Sirius,' Bella said rolling her eyes at her godfather.

**said Professor McGonagall.**

**Bella felt Ron slide silently down onto the wardrobe floor beside her.**

**"****We shall have to send all the students home tomorrow," said Professor McGonagall. "This is the end of Hogwarts. Dumbledore always said…"**

**The staffroom door banged open again. For one wild moment, Bella was sure it would be Dumbledore. But it was Lockhart, and he was beaming.**

**"****So sorry — dozed off — what have I missed?"**

**He didn't seem to notice that the other teachers were looking at him with something remarkably like hatred. Snape stepped forward.**

**"****Just the man," he said. "The very man. A girl has been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Taken into the Chamber of Secrets itself. Your moment has come at last."**

'This will be funny this time around,' Bella said knowing Ginny didn't want anyone's pity.

**Lockhart blanched.**

"**That's right, Gilderoy," chipped in Professor Sprout. "Weren't you saying just last night that you've known all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?"**

**"****I — well, I —"sputtered Lockhart.**

**"****Yes, didn't you tell me you were sure you knew what was inside it?" piped up Professor Flitwick.**

**"****D-did I? I don't recall —"**

**"****I certainly remember you saying you were sorry you hadn't had a crack at the monster before Hagrid was arrested," said Snape. "Didn't you say that the whole affair had been bungled, and that you should have been given a free rein from the first?"**

Everyone looked amused as they heard about him grasping straws but no one could laugh, not with what they had just heard.

**Lockhart stared around at his stony-faced colleagues.**

**"****I — I really never — you may have misunderstood —"**

**"****We'll leave it to you, then, Gilderoy," said Professor McGonagall. "Tonight will be an excellent time to do it. We'll make sure everyone's out of your way. You'll be able to tackle the monster all by yourself. A free rein at last."**

**Lockhart gazed desperately around him, but nobody came to the rescue. He didn't look remotely handsome anymore. His lip was trembling, and in the absence of his usually toothy grin, he looked weak-chinned and feeble.**

**"****V-very well," he said. "I'll — I'll be in my office, getting — getting ready."**

**And he left the room.**

**"****Right," said Professor McGonagall, whose nostrils were flared, "that's got him out from under our feet. The Heads of Houses should go and inform their students what has happened. Tell them the Hogwarts Express will take them home first thing tomorrow. Will the rest of you please make sure no students have been left outside their dormitories."**

**The teachers rose and left, one by one.**

**It was probably the worst day of Bella's entire life. She, Ron, Fred, and George sat together in a corner of the Gryffindor common room, unable to say anything to each other. **

'How come it's always Bella not your other friends like Lee too,' Tonks blurted without thinking.

'Because we are all close to Bella and she is a part of the family.' Fred said.

'Even back then,' Ron said agreeing with Fred before George could get a word in.

**Percy wasn't there. He had gone to send an owl to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, then shut himself up in his dormitory.**

**No afternoon ever lasted as long as that one, nor had Gryffindor Tower ever been so crowded, yet so quiet. Near sunset, Fred and George went up to bed, unable to sit there any longer.**

**"****She knew something, Bella," said Ron, speaking for the first time since they had entered the wardrobe in the staff room. "That's why she was taken. It wasn't some stupid thing about Percy at all. She'd found out something about the Chamber of Secrets. That must be why she was —" Ron rubbed his eyes frantically. "I mean, she was a pure-blood. There can't be any other reason."**

'Don't say was,' Bill whispered.

**Bella could see the sun sinking, blood-red, below the skyline. This was the worst she had ever felt. If only there was something they could do. Anything.**

'Welcome to our world,' said Mrs Weasley scowling at Bella sadly. 'When you're off battling dragons and fighting V-Voldemort, we can't do anything.' Bella looked down guiltily.

'She can't help it,' Luna said dreamily, 'and you wouldn't want her any other way, it is a part of who she is, it would change who she was without those experiences.'

**"****Bella" said Ron. "D'you think there's any chance at all she's not — you know —"**

**Bella didn't know what to say. She couldn't see how Ginny could still be alive.**

Everyone shivered.

**"****D'you know what?" said Ron. "I think we should go and see Lockhart. Tell him what we know. He's going to try and get into the Chamber. We can tell him where we think it is, and tell him it's a basilisk in there."**

**Because Bella couldn't think of anything else to do, and because she wanted to be doing something, she agreed.**

'See so really I didn't save – '

'Potter give it a rest, you saved her life, you're a hero get on with it.' growled Moody. Bella pouted, they all chuckled at her.

**The Gryffindors around them were so miserable, and felt so sorry for the Weasleys, that nobody tried to stop them as they got up, crossed the room, and left through the portrait hole.**

**Darkness was falling as they walked down to Lockhart's office. There seemed to be a lot of activity going on inside it. They could hear scraping, thumps, and hurried footsteps.**

**Bella knocked and there was a sudden silence from inside. Then the door opened the tiniest crack and they saw one of Lockhart's eyes peering through it.**

**"****Oh — Miss Potter — Mr. Weasley —" he said, opening the door a bit wider. "I'm rather busy at the moment —if you would be quick —"**

**"****Professor, we've got some information for you," said Bella. "We think it'll help you."**

**"****Er — well — it's not terribly —" The side of Lockhart's face that they could see looked very uncomfortable. "I mean — well — all right —"**

**He opened the door and they entered.**

**His office had been almost completely stripped. **

Everyone was fuming but didn't except any less.

**Two large trunks stood open on the floor. Robes, jade-green, lilac, midnight blue, had been hastily folded into one of them; books were jumbled untidily into the other. The photographs that had covered the walls were now crammed into boxes on the desk.**

**"****Are you going somewhere?" said Bella.**

**"****Er, well, yes," said Lockhart, ripping a life-size poster of himself from the back of the door as he spoke and starting to roll it up. "Urgent call — unavoidable — got to go —"**

**"****What about my sister?" said Ron jerkily.**

**"****Well, as to that — most unfortunate —" said Lockhart, avoiding their eyes as he wrenched open a drawer and started emptying the contents into a bag. "No one regrets more than I —"**

**"****You're the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher!" said Bella. "You can't go now! Not with all the Dark stuff going on here!"**

**"****Well — I must say — when I took the job —" Lockhart muttered, now piling socks on top of his robes. "nothing in the job description — didn't expect —"**

**"****You mean you're running away?" said Bella disbelievingly. "After all that stuff you did in your books —"**

**"****Books can be misleading," said Lockhart delicately.**

**"****You wrote them!" Bella shouted.**

**"****My dear girl," said Lockhart, straightening up and frowning at Bella. "Do use your common sense. My books wouldn't have sold half as well if people didn't think I'd done all those things. No one wants to read about some ugly old Armenian warlock, even if he did save a village from werewolves. He'd look dreadful on the front cover. No dress sense at all. And the witch who banished the Bandon Banshee had a harelip. I mean, come on —"**

Everyone growled at what he had done.

**"****So you've just been taking credit for what a load of other people have done?" said Bella incredulously.**

**"****Bella, Bella," said Lockhart, shaking his head impatiently, "it's not nearly as simple as that. There was work involved. I had to track these people down. Ask them exactly how they managed to do what they did. Then I had to put a Memory Charm on them so they wouldn't remember doing it. If not all book signings and publicity photos, you know. You want fame, you have to be prepared for a long hard slog."**

**He banged the lids of his trunks shut and locked them.**

**"****Let's see," he said. "I think that's everything. Yes. Only one thing left."**

**He pulled out his wand and turned to them.**

'WHAT!' cried everyone, they hadn't told anyone but Hermione about this part.

'Er…' Both Ron and Bella muttered at the same time. Neville kept reading.

**"****Awfully sorry, children, but I'll have to put a Memory Charm on you now. Can't have you blabbing my secrets all over the place. I'd never sell another book —"**

**Bella reached her wand just in time. Lockhart had barely raised his, when Bella bellowed, "Expelliarmus!"**

**Lockhart was blasted backward, falling over his trunk; his wand flew high into the air; Ron caught it, and flung it out of the open window.**

**"****Shouldn't have let Professor Snape teach us that one," said Bella furiously, kicking Lockhart's trunk aside. Lockhart was looking up at her, feeble once more. Bella was still pointing her wand at him.**

**"****What d'you want me to do?" said Lockhart weakly. "I don't know where the Chamber of Secrets is. There's nothing I can do."**

'We do,' said Bella and Ron at the same time.

**"****You're in luck," said Bella, forcing Lockhart to his feet at wandpoint. "We think we know where it is. And what's inside it. Let's go."**

**They marched Lockhart out of his office and down the nearest stairs, along the dark corridor where the messages shone on the wall, to the door of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.**

**They sent Lockhart in first. Bella was pleased to see that he was shaking.**

Bella looked fairly pleased now.

**Moaning Myrtle was sitting on the tank of the end toilet.**

**"****Oh, it's you," she said when she saw Bella. "What do you want this time?"**

**"****To ask you how you died," said Bella.**

**Myrtle's whole aspect changed at once. She looked as though she had never been asked such a flattering question.**

**"Ooooh, it was dreadful," she said with relish. "It happened right in here. I died in this very stall. I remember it so well. I'd hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. The door was locked, and I was crying, and then I heard somebody come in. They said something funny. A different language, I think it must have been. Anyway, what really got me was that it was a boy speaking. So I unlocked the door, to tell him to go and use his own toilet, and then —" Myrtle swelled importantly, her face shining. "I died."**

**"****How?" said Bella.**

**"****No idea," said Myrtle in hushed tones. "I just remember seeing a pair of great, big, yellow eyes. **

'Whoa,' said Ginny not quite believing the glare and then you're dead but it was that easy.

**My whole body sort of seized up, and then I was floating away…" She looked dreamily at Bella. "And then I came back again. I was determined to haunt Olive Hornby, you see. Oh, she was sorry she'd ever laughed at my glasses."**

'That's a sad reason to come back,' Malfoy said.

'That's the reason she says,' Luna said. 'At that age especially she was likely to be frightened of death,'

**"****Where exactly did you see the eyes?" said Bella.**

**"****Somewhere there," said Myrtle, pointing vaguely toward the sink in front of her toilet.**

**Bella and Ron hurried over to it. Lockhart was standing well back, a look of utter terror on his face.**

**It looked like an ordinary sink. They examined every inch of it, inside and out, including the pipes below. And then Bella saw it: Scratched on the side of one of the copper taps was a tiny snake.**

'I can't believe after years of searching two second years found the Chamber of Secrets.' said Remus quietly, pale in the face.

'They are my lions,' said McGonagall back to him proudly, they both blushed.

**"****That tap's never worked," said Myrtle brightly as she tried to turn it.**

**"****Bella," said Ron. "Say something. Something in Parseltongue."**

'Suppose that would help too,' Remus chuckled.

**"****But —" Bella thought hard. The only times she'd ever managed to speak Parseltongue were when she'd been faced with a real snake. She stared hard at the tiny engraving, trying to imagine it was real.**

**"****Open up," she said.**

**She looked at Ron, who shook his head.**

**"****English," he said.**

**Bella looked back at the snake, willing herself to believe it was alive. If she moved her head, the candlelight made it look as though it were moving.**

**"****Open up," she said.**

**Except that the words weren't what she heard; a strange hissing had escaped her, and at once the tap glowed with a brilliant white light and began to spin. Next second, the sink began to move; the sink, in fact, sank, right out of sight, leaving a large pipe exposed, a pipe wide enough for a man to slide into.**

'Like Slytherin per chance,' Fred said lightly.

**Bella heard Ron gasp and looked up again. She had made up her mind what she was going to do.**

**"****I'm going down there," she said.**

**She couldn't not go, not now they had found the entrance to the Chamber, not if there was even the faintest, slimmest, wildest chance that Ginny might be alive.**

**"****Me too," said Ron.**

**There was a pause.**

**"****Well, you hardly seem to need me," said Lockhart, with a shadow of his old smile. "I'll just —"**

**He put his hand on the door knob, but Ron and Bella both pointed their wands at him.**

'Foul git,' Ron muttered.

**"****You can go first," Ron snarled.**

**White-faced and wandless, Lockhart approached the opening.**

**"****Children," he said, his voice feeble. "Children, what good will it do?"**

'Better you then them,' Tonks growled.

**Bella jabbed him in the back with her wand. Lockhart slid his legs into the pipe.**

**"I really don't think —" he started to say, but Ron gave him a push, and he slid out of sight. Bella followed quickly. She lowered herself slowly into the pipe, then let go.**

**It was like rushing down an endless, slimy, dark slide. She could see more pipes branching off in all directions, but none as large as theirs, which twisted and turned, sloping steeply downward, and she knew that she was falling deeper below the school than even the dungeons. Behind her she could hear Ron, thudding slightly at the curves.**

'It would have been fun if it wasn't for the whole monsters layer.' Said Bella, people looked at her oddly.

**And then, just as she had begun to worry about what would happen when she hit the ground, the pipe levelled out, and she shot out of the end with a wet thud, landing on the damp floor of a dark stone tunnel large enough to stand in. Lockhart was getting to his feet a little ways away, covered in slime and white as a ghost. Bella stood aside as Ron came whizzing out of the pipe, too.**

**"****We must be miles under the school," said Bella, her voice echoing in the black tunnel.**

**"****Under the lake, probably," said Ron, squinting around at the dark, slimy walls.**

**All three of them turned to stare into the darkness ahead.**

**"****Lumos!" Bella muttered to her wand and it lit again. "C'mon," she said to Ron and Lockhart, and off they went, their footsteps slapping loudly on the wet floor.**

**The tunnel was so dark that they could only see a little distance ahead. Their shadows on the wet walls looked monstrous in the wandlight.**

**"****Remember," Bella said quietly as they walked cautiously forward, "any sign of movement, close your eyes right away…"**

**But the tunnel was quiet as the grave, and the first unexpected sound they heard was a loud crunch as Ron stepped on what turned out to be a rat's skull.**

Sirius smiled.

'The gits so useless he'll probably end up strangling himself by accident,' Ron scowled, Hermione wrote it down again.

**Bella lowered her wand to look at the floor and saw that it was littered with small animal bones. Trying very hard not to imagine what Ginny might look like if they found her, Bella led the way forward, around a dark bend in the tunnel.**

**"****Bella — there's something up there —" said Ron hoarsely, grabbing Bella's shoulder.**

**They froze, watching. Bella could just see the outline of something huge and curved, lying right across the tunnel. It wasn't moving.**

**"****Maybe it's asleep," she breathed, glancing back at the other two. Lockhart's hands were pressed over his eyes. Bella turned back to look at the thing, her heart beating so fast it hurt.**

**Very slowly, her eyes as narrow as she could make them and still see, Bella edged forward, her wand held high.**

**The light slid over a gigantic snake skin, of a vivid, poisonous green, lying curled and empty across the tunnel floor. The creature that had shed it must have been twenty feet long at least.**

**"****Blimey," said Ron weakly.**

**There was a sudden movement behind them. Gilderoy Lockhart's knees had given way.**

**"****Heart of a lion this one," said Ron, rolling his eyes and pointing his wand at Lockhart.**

**Lockhart got to his feet — then he dived at Ron, knocking him to the ground.**

**Bella jumped forward, but too late — Lockhart was straightening up, panting, Ron's wand in his hand and a gleaming smile back on his face.**

'Attacking children,' snarled McGonagall, 'disgusting, pathetic man.'

**"The adventure ends here!" he said. "I shall take a bit of this skin back up to the school, tell them I was too late to save the girl, and that you two tragically lost your minds at the sight of her mangled body — say good-bye to your memories!"**

**He raised Ron's Spellotaped wand high over his head and yelled, "Obliviate!"**

**The wand exploded with the force of a small bomb. Bella flung her arms over her head and ran, slipping over the coils of snake skin, out of the way of great chunks of tunnel ceiling that were thundering to the floor. Next moment, she was standing alone, gazing at a solid wall of broken rock.**

**"****Ron!" she shouted. "Are you okay? Ron!"**

Mrs Weasley began to tremble.

'Mum I was fine,' he said.

**"****I'm here!" came Ron's muffled voice from behind the rockfall. "I'm okay — this git's not, though — he got blasted by the wand —"**

**There was a dull thud and a loud "ow!" It sounded as though Ron had just kicked Lockhart in the shins.**

'Slightly higher than that but below his stomach,' said Ron grinning.

**"****What now?" Ron's voice said, sounding desperate. "We can't get through — it'll take ages…"**

**Bella looked up at the tunnel ceiling. Huge cracks had appeared in it. She had never tried to break apart anything as large as these rocks by magic, and now didn't seem a good moment to try — what if the whole tunnel caved in?**

**There was another thud and another "ow!" from behind the rocks. They were wasting time. Ginny had already been in the Chamber of Secrets for hours… Bella knew there was only one thing to do.**

**"****Wait there," she called to Ron. "Wait with Lockhart. I'll go on… If I'm not back in an hour…"**

No one needed the end of that sentence explained to them.

**There was a very pregnant pause, "I'll try and shift some of this rock," said Ron, who seemed to be trying to keep his voice steady. "So you can — can get back through. And, Bella — let at least one person come back safely won't you."**

Bella laughed at the irony of what he said and if it wasn't for Fawkes she would have still done as he asked.

**"****See you in a bit," said Bella, trying to inject some confidence into her shaking voice.**

**And she set off alone past the giant snake skin.**

**Soon the distant noise of Ron straining to shift the rocks was gone. The tunnel turned and turned again. Every nerve in Bella's body was tingling unpleasantly. She wanted the tunnel to end, yet dreaded what she'd find when it did. And then, at last, as she crept around yet another bend, she saw a solid wall ahead on which two entwined serpents were carved, their eyes set with great, glinting emeralds.**

**Bella approached, her throat very dry. There was no need to pretend these stone snakes were real; their eyes looked strangely alive.**

**She could guess what she had to do. She cleared her throat, and the emerald eyes seemed to flicker.**

**"****Open," said Bella, in a low, faint hiss.**

**The serpents parted as the wall cracked open, the halves slid smoothly out of sight, and Bella, moving the hair from her face, shaking from head to foot walked inside.**

'That's it,' Neville whispered, Sirius stood up and snatched the book from Neville and began to read immediately.

"**The Heir of Slytherin" **read Sirius.


	17. The Heir of Slytherin

**"The Heir of Slytherin" **Sirius read.

'Er... Sirius,' Bella said nervously.

'Bella, we are reading this chapter.' He said firmly.

'No it's not that, it's... you know how I said I wouldn't complain when it was really dangerous stuff?' she sighed. 'You might want to give the book to someone else.' She whispered.

'How bad Potter?' Mad eye asked.

'Trust me this it'll be the worst yet.' She said hesitated then continued. 'I get hurt... badly.'

'There was a fair amount of blood,' Mr Weasley said hesitantly 'but – '

'No, I was badly hurt.'

'You kept that out in your little retelling didn't you, Potter,' McGonagall said her eyes narrowed.

Sirius passed the book over to Tonks, when he sat down again. Bella sighed.

'I'll save you the trouble.' She sat on his lap.

'Wow... I don't think I want to know.' He said weakly.

'We could always not read it?' Bella suggested.

'Nice try.' Remus said with a very false little smile on his face, his eyes full of worry.

"**The Heir of Slytherin" **read Tonks.

**She was standing at the end of a very long, dimly lit chamber. Towering stone pillars entwined with more carved serpents rose to support a ceiling lost in darkness, casting long, black shadows through the odd, greenish gloom that filled the place. **

**Her heart beating very fast, Bella stood listening to the chill silence. Could the basilisk be lurking in a shadowy corner, behind a pillar? And where was Ginny?**

**She pulled out her wand **

'IT SHOULD ALRTEADY BE OUT! CONSTANT VIGULANCE!' Mad eye roared.

'I was twelve!' she said, 'Still fairly innocent with these things!'

'If this, touch wood,' she touched Sirius's head.

'Oi!'

'Happened again, I will have my wand out way before then.' Mad eye grunted.

**and moved forward between the serpentine columns. Every careful footstep echoed loudly off the shadowy walls. She kept her eyes narrowed, ready to clamp them shut at the smallest sign of movement. The hollow eye sockets of the stone snakes seemed to be following her. More than once, with a jolt of the stomach, she thought she saw one stir.**

'Probably trick of the light' murmured Luna.

**Then, as she drew level with the last pair of pillars, a statue high as the Chamber itself loomed into view, standing against the back wall.**

**Bella had to crane her neck to look up into the giant face above: It was ancient and monkeyish, **

'Old Slytherin would love that.' Said Fred

'Can talk to snakes, but looks like a monkey, poor bloke.' said George, trying to cheer up their sisters a little bit. It didn't work.

**with a long, thin beard that fell almost to the bottom of the wizard's sweeping stone robes, where two enormous gray feet stood on the smooth Chamber floor. And between the feet, facedown, lay a small, black-robed figure with flaming-red hair.**

Ginny started to shake.

The twins looked at each other.

'Gin, come over here,' George said softly, as both he and Fred opened their arms.

She shook her head.

'I'm fine,'

'It's not impersonate Bella day, that's next week,' said Fred very seriously. Before anyone could comment, Charlie got up and hugged Ginny comfortingly. She smiled at him grateful. Mr and Mrs Weasley looked at their children proudly, bracing themselves for what was happening next to their two little girls.

"**Ginny!" Bella muttered, sprinting to Ginny and dropping to her knees. "Ginny — don't be dead — please don't be dead —" She flung her wand aside,**

'POTTER!' Barked Moody.

'I WAS TWLEVE! GINNY WAS MORE IMPORTANT!' She yelled at him furiously.

'Mad eye try and relax,' Remus said. 'Lily's temper and an uncomfortable, horrible memory might make her snap, just remember it's happened and she knows now.'

Again Mad eye grunted.

**grabbed Ginny's shoulders, and turned her over. Her face was white as marble, and as cold, yet her eyes were closed, so she wasn't Petrified. But then she must be…**

All the Weasley's, Hermione and Bella shuddered.

"**Ginny, please wake up," Bella muttered desperately, shaking her. Ginny's head lolled hopelessly from side to side.**

Bella winced, the memory fresh in her head. Ginny smiled at her from across the room, and she smiled back.

"**She won't wake," said a soft voice.**

**Bella jumped and spun around on her knees.**

**A tall, black-haired boy was leaning against the nearest pillar, watching. He was strangely blurred around the edges, as though Bella were looking at him through a misted window. But there was no mistaking him.**

"**Tom — Tom Riddle?"**

Ginny's fist clenched. Bella was shaking, but with fury now, the people didn't know what was about to happen could tell she hated this Riddle, possibly as much as she hated Voldemort.

**Riddle nodded, not taking his eyes off Bella's face.**

"**What d'you mean, she won't wake?" Bella said desperately. "She's not — she's not —?"**

"**She's still alive," said Riddle. "But only just."**

Mr and Mrs Weasley winced.

**Bella stared at him. Tom Riddle had been at Hogwarts fifty years ago, yet here he stood, a weird, misty light shining about him, not a day older than sixteen.**

"**Are you a ghost?" Bella said uncertainly.**

"**A memory," said Riddle quietly. "Preserved in a diary for fifty years."**

**He pointed toward the floor near Ginny. Lying open there was the little black diary Bella had found in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. For a second, Bella wondered how it had got there — but there were more pressing matters to deal with. She touched Ginny's hand. It was cold. **

Bella winced again.

"**She's as cold as ice." Bella muttered. "****You've got to help me, Tom," Bella said, raising Ginny's head again. "We've got to get her out of here. There's a basilisk… I don't know where it is, but it could be along any moment… Please, help me."**

**Riddle didn't move. Bella, sweating, managed to hoist Ginny half off the floor, and bent to pick up her wand again.**

**But her wand had gone.**

Moody growled but held his tongue with a sharp look from Albus.

"**Did you see —?"**

**She looked up. Riddle was still watching her — twirling Bella's wand between his long fingers.**

'Argh I was so stupid,' Bella groaned.

'No you weren't,' Sirius said smiling at her.

"**Thanks," said Bella, stretching out her hand for it.**

**A smile curled the corners of Riddle's mouth. He continued to stare at Bella, twirling the wand idly.**

"**Listen," said Bella urgently, her knees sagging with Ginny's dead weight.**

'I wasn't that heavy,' Ginny pouted.

'I was about the same height as you,' Bella said smiling. 'And you always weight more when you're not conscious,' Bella didn't want to say dead weight but everyone knew what she had meant to say, Mrs Weasley flinched.

**"We've got to go! If the basilisk comes —"**

"**It won't come until it is called," said Riddle calmly.**

'I should have known then,' Bella said frustrated.

'Bella your letting Mad eye get to you,' Tonks said scowling at her mentor. 'You were a twelve year old girl, concerned for her friend.' Bella smiled at Tonks she really like the young Auror.

**Bella lowered Ginny back onto the floor, unable to hold her up any longer.**

Ginny faked a pouted; trying to add some humour to the building tension.

"**What d'you mean?" she said. "Look, give me my wand, I might need it —"**

**Riddle's smile broadened.**

'Git,' Ron scowled

"**You won't be needing it," he said.**

**Bella stared at him.**

"**What d'you mean, I won't be —?"**

"**I've waited a long time for this, Bella Potter," said Riddle. "For the chance to see you. To speak to you."**

'Bloody psycho,' Bella muttered.

"**Look," said Bella, losing patience, "I don't think you get it. We're in the Chamber of Secrets. We can talk later —"**

"**We're going to talk now," said Riddle, still smiling broadly, and he pocketed Bella's wand.**

The adults looked at the young girl concerned.

**Bella stared at him. There was something very funny going on here…**

'Now you click,' she grumbled to herself.

'Stop being so hard on yourself,' Remus said.

'Yeah, mate,' Ron said. 'You couldn't have known.'

'All in hindsight,' Hermione said.

"**How did Ginny get like this?" she asked slowly.**

"**Well, that's an interesting question," said Riddle pleasantly. "And quite a long story. I suppose the real reason Ginny Weasley's like this is because she opened her heart and spilled all her secrets to an invisible stranger."**

Ginny pulled a face how could she be so stupid.

'Hey what we've just told Bella,' Bill said to her, Ginny smiled.

"**What are you talking about?" said Bella.**

"**The diary," said Riddle. "My diary. Little Ginny's been writing in it for months and months, telling me all her pitiful worries and woes — how her brothers tease her, how she had to come to school with secondhand robes and books, how —" Riddle's eyes glinted "— how she didn't think famous, good, great Bella Potter would ever want to be her friend…"**

'Think again,' Bella said smiling.

**All the time he spoke, Riddle's eyes never left Bella's face. There was an almost hungry look in them.**

'I think he likes you,' Tonks joked, Bella paled and vomited on the floor.

'BELLA!' Yelled several people, she whipped her mouth on her sleeve, Sirius held her protectively and comfortingly.

Dumbledore vanished the sick.

'Tonks, please don't ever say that again.' She whispered clutching herself tightly.

Malfoy smirked.

'What's up Potter? Bringing back bad memories?'

'Shut it Malfoy,' she hissed. 'Or I'll take out your tongue without a wand.' She sent him such a strong glare he shrank in his seat and didn't comment.

'Why would that bring up bad memories,'

'Tonks,' Bella said. Still shocked Tonks began to read again.

**"It's very boring, having to listen to the silly little troubles of an eleven-year-old girl," he went on. "But I was patient. I wrote back. I was sympathetic, I was kind. **

'Didn't know that was possible.' Bella hissed.

**Ginny simply loved me. No one's ever understood me like you, Tom… I'm so glad I've got this diary to confide in… It's like having a friend I can carry around in my pocket…"**

**Riddle laughed, a high, cold laugh that didn't suit him. It made the hairs stand up on the back of Bella's neck.**

The only person in the book described with that is… Remus thought with his mouth went wide with horror.

"**If I say it myself, Bella, I've always been able to charm the people I needed. **

Indeed you have Tom, thought Dumbledore remembering his colleges.

**So Ginny poured out her soul to me, and her soul happened to be exactly what I wanted…**

'What does that mean?' said Snape slowly.

Dumbledore's eyes widened, so it had defiantly been one.

**I grew stronger and stronger on a diet of her deepest fears, her darkest secrets. I grew powerful, far more powerful than little Miss Weasley. Powerful enough to start feeding Miss Weasley a few of my secrets, to start pouring a little of my soul back into her…"**

Ginny flinched; Charlie rubbed comforting circles on her back.

"**What d'you mean?" said Bella, whose mouth had gone very dry.**

"**Haven't you guessed yet, Bella Potter?" said Riddle softly. "Ginny Weasley opened the Chamber of Secrets. She strangled the school roosters and daubed threatening messages on the walls. She set the Serpent of Slytherin on four Mudbloods, and the Squib's cat."**

'As if I was going to believe that!' Bella snapped.

"**No," Bella whispered.**

**"Yes," said Riddle, calmly. "Of course, she didn't know what she was doing at first. It was very amusing. I wish you could have seen her new diary entries… far more interesting, they became… Dear Tom," he recited, watching Bella's horrified face, "'I think I'm losing my memory. There are rooster feathers all over my robes and I don't know how they got there. Dear Tom, I can't remember what I did on the night of Halloween, but a cat was attacked and I've got paint all down my front.**

Everyone paled knowing it wasn't paint.

**Dear Tom, Percy keeps telling me I'm pale and I'm not myself. I think he suspects me… There was another attack today and I don't know where I was. Tom, what am I going to do? I think I'm going mad… I think I'm the one attacking everyone, Tom!'"**

**Bella's fists were clenched, the nails digging deep into her palms.**

As were everyone's in the room.

"**It took a very long time for stupid little Ginny**

'Don't call her stupid!' Her brothers snapped.

**to stop trusting her diary," said Riddle. "But she finally became suspicious and tried to dispose of it. And that's where you came in, Bella. You found it, and I couldn't have been more delighted. Of all the people who could have picked it up, it was you, the very person I was most anxious to meet…"**

Bella was visibly shaking in Sirius's arms.

"**And why did you want to meet me?" said Bella. Anger was coursing through her, and it was an effort to keep her voice steady.**

Bella issued no such control now she was shaking, fist clenched the only emotion in her eyes was fury.

"**Well, you see, Ginny told me all about you, Bella," said Riddle. "Your whole fascinating history." His eyes roved over the lightning scar on Bella's forehead, and their expression grew hungrier. "I knew I must find out more about you, talk to you, meet you if I could. So I decided to show you my famous capture of that great oaf, Hagrid, to gain your trust —"**

**"Hagrid's my friend," said Bella, her voice now shaking. "And you framed him, didn't you? I thought someone else had and told you, but —"**

**Riddle laughed his high laugh again.**

"**It was my word against Hagrid's, Bella. Well, you can imagine how it looked to old Armando Dippet. On the one hand, Tom Riddle, poor but brilliant, parentless but so brave, school prefect, model student… on the other hand, big, blundering Hagrid, in trouble every other week, trying to raise werewolf cubs under his bed, sneaking off to the Forbidden Forest to wrestle trolls… **

'Oh Hagrid,' Hermione sighed.

**but I admit, even I was surprised how well the plan worked. I thought someone must realise that Hagrid couldn't possibly be the Heir of Slytherin. It had taken me five whole years to find out everything I could about the Chamber of Secrets and discover the secret entrance… as though Hagrid had the brains, or the power!**

'He's better than you'll ever be!' Bella snarled furiously. Ron and Hermione nodded in agreement.

**Only the Transfiguration teacher, Dumbledore, **

Twins cheered.

**seemed to think Hagrid was innocent. He persuaded Dippet to keep Hagrid and train him as gamekeeper. Yes, I think Dumbledore might have guessed… Dumbledore never seemed to like me as much as the other teachers did…"**

'Good instincts sir,' Bill said. Percy who had barely spoke, in fact many had forgotten he was there. Was as pale as a ghost, his little sister, his only sister. How close it had been, if it not been for Potter…

"**I bet Dumbledore saw right through you," said Bella, her teeth gritted.**

"**Well, he certainly kept an annoyingly close watch on me after Hagrid was expelled," said Riddle carelessly. "I knew it wouldn't be safe to open the Chamber again while I was still at school. But I wasn't going to waste those long years I'd spent searching for it. I decided to leave behind a diary, preserving my sixteen-year-old self in its pages, so that one day, with luck, I would be able to lead another in my footsteps, and finish Salazar Slytherin's noble work."**

'Nobile,' scoffed Neville angrily.

"**Well, you haven't finished it," said Bella triumphantly. "No one's died this time, not even the cat. In a few hours the Mandrake Draught will be ready and everyone who was Petrified will be all right again —"**

"**Haven't I already told you," said Riddle quietly, "that killing Mudbloods doesn't matter to me anymore? For many months now, my new target has been — you."**

Sirius groaned. Of course, he thought miserably.

**Bella stared at him.**

"**Imagine how angry I was when the next time my diary was opened, it was Ginny who was writing to me, not you. She saw you with the diary, you see, and panicked. What if you found out how to work it, and I repeated all her secrets to you? What if, even worse, I told you who'd been strangling roosters? So the foolish little brat waited until your dormitory was deserted and stole it back. But I knew what I must do. It was clear to me that you were on the trail of Slytherin's heir. From everything Ginny had told me about you, I knew you would go to any lengths to solve the mystery — particularly if one of your best friends was attacked.**

He had attacked Hermione because of her, Bella thought looking at her best friend. Hermione smiled at her.

'Bella don't even bother, it's getting boring now you blaming yourself for everything.'

Bella smiled back at her long time best friend.

**And Ginny had told me the whole school was buzzing because you could speak Parseltongue…**

"**So I made Ginny write her own farewell on the wall and come down here to wait. She struggled and cried and became very boring. But there isn't much life left in her… She put too much into the diary, into me.**

Her family were shaking again.

**Enough to let me leave its pages at last… I have been waiting for you to appear since we arrived here. I knew you'd come. I have many questions for you, Bella Potter."**

"**Like what?" Bella spat, fists still clenched.**

**"Well," said Riddle, smiling pleasantly, "how is it that you — a **_**tiny**_** skinny girl with no extraordinary magical talent**

'BELLA IS TALENTED!' yelled the members of DA. Bella flushed.

— **managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all time? How did you escape with nothing but a scar, while Lord Voldemort's powers were destroyed?"**

**There was an odd red gleam in his hungry eyes now.**

Moody, Snape and Bill paled now, knowing who Riddle was.

"**Why do you care how I escaped?" said Bella slowly. "Voldemort was after your time…"**

"**Voldemort," said Riddle softly, "is my past, present, and future, Bella Potter…"**

'Huh?' Neville said confused.

**He pulled Bella's wand from his pocket and began to trace it through the air, writing three shimmering words:**

**TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE**

**Then he waved the wand once, and the letters of his name rearranged themselves:**

**I AM LORD VOLDEMORT**

'I apologise deeply for what I said,' said Tonks looking a little green.

"**You see?" he whispered. "It was a name I was already using at Hogwarts, to my most intimate friends only, of course.**

'You don't have friends!' Bella spat.

**You think I was going to use my filthy Muggle father's name forever? I, in whose veins runs the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself, through my mother's side? I, keep the name of a foul, common Muggle, who abandoned me even before I was born, just because he found out his wife was a witch? No, Bella — I fashioned myself a new name, a name I knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak, when I had become the greatest sorcerer in the world!"**

'He loves to hear himself talk doesn't he?' Fred said angrily.

'Don't I know it,' Bella grumbled.

**Bella's brain seemed to have jammed. She stared numbly at Riddle, at the orphaned boy who had grown up to murder Bella's own parents, and so many others… At last she forced herself to speak.**

"**You're not," she said, her quiet voice full of hatred.**

"**Not what?" snapped Riddle.**

"**Not the greatest sorcerer in the world," said Bella, breathing fast. "Sorry to disappoint you and all that, but the greatest wizard in the world is Albus Dumbledore. Everyone says so. Even when you were strong, you didn't dare try and take over at Hogwarts. Dumbledore saw through you when you were at school and he still frightens you now, wherever you're hiding these days —"**

'You tell him!' the twins cheered.

**The smile had gone from Riddle's face, to be replaced by a very ugly look.**

"**Dumbledore's been driven out of this castle by the mere memory of me!" he hissed.**

"**He's not as gone as you might think!" Bella retorted. She was speaking at random, wanting to scare Riddle, wishing rather than believing it to be true.**

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. Bella was now extremely grateful that she said that though she couldn't help but go a little pink.

**Riddle opened his mouth, but froze.**

'Why?' asked Charlie confused. Tonks kept reading.

**Music was coming from somewhere. Riddle whirled around to stare down the empty Chamber. The music was growing louder. It was eerie, spine-tingling, unearthly; it lifted the hair on Bella's scalp and made her heart feel as though it was swelling to twice its normal size. Then, as the music reached such a pitch that Bella felt it vibrating inside her own ribs, flames erupted at the top of the nearest pillar.**

**A crimson bird the size of a swan had appeared, piping its weird music to the vaulted ceiling. It had a glittering golden tail as long as a peacock's and gleaming golden talons, which were gripping a ragged bundle.**

**A second later, the bird was flying straight at Bella. It dropped the ragged thing it was carrying at her feet, then landed heavily on her shoulder. As it folded its great wings, Bella looked up and saw it had a long, sharp golden beak and a beady black eye.**

**The bird stopped singing. It sat still and warm next to Bella's cheek, gazing steadily at Riddle.**

"**That's a phoenix." said Riddle, staring shrewdly back at it.**

'Well done,' said Fred sarcastically.

'Want a medal?' George hissed.

"**Fawkes?" Bella breathed, and she felt the bird's golden claws squeeze her shoulder gently.**

"**And that —" said Riddle, now eyeing the ragged thing that Fawkes had dropped, "that's the old school Sorting Hat —"**

'Captain obvious strikes again,' snarled Bella.

**So it was. Patched, frayed, and dirty, the hat lay motionless at Bella's feet.**

**Riddle began to laugh again. He laughed so hard that the dark chamber rang with it, as though ten Riddles were laughing at once.**

"**This is what Dumbledore sends his defender! A songbird and an old hat! Do you feel brave, Bella Potter? Do you feel safe now?"**

**Bella didn't answer. She might not see what use Fawkes or the Sorting Hat were, but she was no longer alone, and she waited for Riddle to stop laughing with her courage mounting.**

"**To business, Bella," said Riddle, still smiling broadly. "Twice — in your past, in my future — we have met. And twice I failed to kill you.**

'He can't kill you without killing himself,' said Luna, most looked at her confused then shook their heads, Dumbledore felt shocked how could she possibly…

**How did you survive? Tell me everything. The longer you talk," he added softly, "the longer you stay alive."**

**Bella was thinking fast, weighing her chances. Riddle had the wand. She, Bella, had Fawkes and the Sorting Hat, neither of which would be much good in a duel. It looked bad, all right… but the longer Riddle stood there, the more life was dwindling out of Ginny… and in the meantime, Bella noticed suddenly, Riddle's outline was becoming clearer, more solid… If it had to be a fight between her and Riddle, better sooner than later.**

'Think calmly and rationally.' Moody said. Everyone ignored him.

"**No one knows why you lost your powers when you attacked me," said Bella abruptly. "I don't know myself. But I know why you couldn't kill me. Because my mother died to save me. My common Muggle-born mother," she added, shaking with suppressed rage. "She stopped you killing me. And I've seen the real you, I saw you last year. You're a wreck. You're barely alive. That's where all your power got you. You're in hiding. You're ugly, you're foul —"**

DA members cheered other than Hermione. She shouldn't taunt him.

**Riddle's face contorted. Then he forced it into an awful smile. "So. Your mother died to save you. Yes, that's a powerful countercharm. I can see now… there is nothing special about you, after all. I wondered, you see. There are strange likenesses between us, after all.**

Bella winced, she had spotted it.

**Even you must have noticed. Both half-bloods, orphans, raised by Muggles. Probably the only two Parselmouths to come to Hogwarts since the great Slytherin himself. We even look something alike… **

'I'll give that one,' Fred said fairly. 'Both stunners in teenhood.'

'As long as she doesn't look like him later on,' George said. She glared at the twins but otherwise ignored him.

**but after all, it was merely a lucky chance that saved you from me. That's all I wanted to know."**

**Bella stood, tense, waiting for Riddle to raise her wand. But Riddle's twisted smile was widening again.**

"**Now, Bella, I'm going to teach you a little lesson. Let's match the powers of Lord Voldemort, Heir of Salazar Slytherin, against famous Bella Potter, and the best weapons Dumbledore can give her…"**

**He cast an amused eye over Fawkes and the Sorting Hat, then walked away. Bella, fear spreading up her numb legs, watched Riddle stop between the high pillars and look up into the stone face of Slytherin, high above him in the half-darkness. Riddle opened his mouth wide and hissed — but Bella understood what he was saying…**

"**Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four."**

'Sorry but who names him the greatest,' spat Ginny.

**Bella wheeled around to look up at the statue, Fawkes swaying on her shoulder.**

**Slytherin's gigantic stone face was moving. Horrorstruck, Bella saw his mouth opening, wider and wider, to make a huge black hole.**

**And something was stirring inside the statue's mouth. Something was slithering up from its depths.**

"**Parseltongue won't save you know Potter! It only obeys me!" laughed Voldemort before Bella could even try, Bella backed away until he hit the dark Chamber wall, and as she shut her eyes tight she felt Fawkes' wing sweep her cheek as he took flight. Bella wanted to shout, "Don't leave me!" but what chance did a phoenix have against the king of serpents?**

'A pretty good chance actually,' said Bella, Remus, Dumbledore and Charlie at the same time then they all smiled.

**Something huge hit the stone floor of the Chamber. Bella felt it shudder — she knew what was happening, she could sense it, could almost see the giant serpent uncoiling itself from Slytherin's mouth. Then she heard Riddle's hissing voice:**

"**Kill her."**

**The basilisk was moving toward Bella; she could hear its heavy body slithering heavily across the dusty floor. Eyes still tightly shut, Bella began to run blindly sideways, her hands outstretched, feeling her way — Voldemort was laughing.**

**Bella tripped. She fell hard onto the stone and tasted blood the serpent was barely feet from her, she could hear it coming.**

**There was a loud, explosive spitting sound right above her, and then something heavy hit Bella so hard that she was smashed into the wall. Waiting for fangs to sink through her body she heard more mad hissing, something thrashing wildly off the pillars.**

**She couldn't help it — she opened her eyes wide enough to squint at what was going on.**

'BELLA!'

'Oh like you lot wouldn't do the same in that situation,' she hissed.

**The enormous serpent, bright, poisonous green, thick as an oak trunk, had raised itself high in the air and its great blunt head was weaving drunkenly between the pillars. As Bella trembled, ready to close her eyes if it turned, she saw what had distracted the snake.**

**Fawkes was soaring around its head, and the basilisk was snapping furiously at him with fangs long and thin as sabers Fawkes dived. His long golden beak sank out of sight and a sudden shower of dark blood spattered the floor. The snake's tail thrashed, narrowly missing Bella, and before Bella could shut her eyes, it turned — Bella looked straight into its face and saw that its eyes, both its great, bulbous yellow eyes, had been punctured by the phoenix; blood was streaming to the floor, and the snake was spitting in agony.**

'Good you can fight better now,' Moody said as few people glared at him thought they were relieved she could defend herself.

"**NO!" Bella heard Riddle screaming. "LEAVE THE BIRD! LEAVE THE BIRD! THE GIRL IS BEHIND YOU. YOU CAN STILL SMELL HER. KILL HER!"**

**The blinded serpent swayed, confused, still deadly. Fawkes was circling its head, piping his eerie song, jabbing here and there at its scaly nose as the blood poured from its ruined eyes.**

"**Help me, help me," Bella muttered wildly, "someone — anyone…"**

'Wait,' said Ron urgently. Everyone looked at him puzzled.

'Hermione you need to document this Bella asked for help.' He said seriously.

'Ron!' Bella hissed.

Hermione grinned and wrote it down. 'Tonks we'll need to document the exact wording.' She said trying not to laugh at Bella's glare.

Tonks repeated what Bella had said.

'Now if you lot are done I was battling a basilisk.' Bella snarled at her best friends.

**The snake's tail whipped across the floor again. Bella ducked. Something soft hit her face.**

**The basilisk had swept the Sorting Hat into Bella's arms. Bella seized it. It was all she had left, her only chance — she rammed it onto her head and threw herself flat onto the floor as the basilisk's tail swung over her again.**

**Help me — help me — Bella thought, her eyes screwed tight under the hat. Please help me.**

**There was no answering voice. Instead, the hat contracted, as though an invisible hand was squeezing it very tightly.**

**Something very hard and heavy thudded onto the top of Bella's head, almost knocking her out. **

Everyone paled that wouldn't have been good but they were also curious to what this was. Remus's eyes widened.

'It's true,' he whispered, Bella beamed at him to tell him yes, Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling.

**Stars winking in front of her eyes, she grabbed the top of the hat to pull it off and felt something long and hard beneath it.**

**A gleaming silver sword had appeared inside the hat, its handle glittering with rubies the size of eggs.**

"**KILL THE GIRL! LEAVE THE BIRD! THE GIRL IS BEHIND YOU. SNIFF — SMELL HER."**

**Bella was on her feet, ready. The basilisk's head was falling, its body coiling around, hitting pillars as it twisted to face her. She could see the vast, bloody eye sockets, see the mouth stretching wide, wide enough to swallow her whole, lined with fangs long as her sword, thin, glittering, venomous —**

**It lunged blindly — Bella dodged and it hit the Chamber wall. It lunged again, and its forked tongue lashed Bella's side. She raised the sword in both her hands —**

**The basilisk lunged again, and this time its aim was true —**

Sirius clutched her tighter.

**Bella threw her whole weight behind the sword and drove it to the hilt into the roof of the serpent's mouth —**

**But as warm blood drenched Bella's arms, she felt a searing pain just above her elbow. **

'NO!' nearly everyone cried, Charlie was watching her wide eyed then he clicked. Fawkes. Thank god for that bloody bird, he thought.

**One long, poisonous fang was sinking deeper and deeper into her arm**

'Ouch,' Tonks said.

'Tell me about it,'

'The venom is fatal how…' Remus said watching his cub in horror.

**and it splintered as the basilisk keeled over sideways (the sword remaining in Bella's hands) and fell, twitching, to the floor.**

**Bella slid down the wall. She gripped the fang that was spreading poison through her body and wrenched it out of her arm. But she knew it was too late. White-hot pain was spreading slowly and steadily from the wound. Even as she watched her own blood soaking her robes, her vision went foggy. The Chamber was dissolving in a whirl of dull colour. She crawled with the help of the sword, over to where Ginny still lay. **

'I thought we should die together,' Bella tried to joke.

"**You have little more than a minute to live," Riddle sneered. **"**I'm going to sit here and watch you die,**

'Sick bastard,' Ron spat.

**Bella Potter. Take your time. I'm in no hurry."**

**Bella felt drowsy. Everything around her seemed to be spinning. She grabbed Ginny's hand. She had failed her, she'd failed Ron, the twins, Percy, all the other Weasleys. **

WHACK!

'Ouch!' complained Bella.

'You're dying and that's what you're thinking about!' hissed Hermione, hitting her friend again.

'Ow!' she said trying to squirm off Sirius's lap so she could defend herself. 'Hermione! Ow! Cut it out! Sirius, help me! I'm actually in danger!' she said still trying to fight Hermione's violent attacks.

'You're grounded,' said Sirius firmly. Hermione stopped attacking, and Bella opened her mouth in horror.

'What?!'

'You heard me,' he said. 'Do you care about your own life at all?' he said furiously.

'Of course I do!' she hissed. 'As you've put it, I am a noble prat, you wouldn't love me if I wasn't,' she added teasingly.

'I think we would.' said Sirius.

'I can't believe I missed all this,' said Ginny 'You had it much worse than I did!'

'Are you kidding me? Voldemort was possessing you!'

'Yeah, but I didn't have to battle a 50ft basilisk and almost be killed by painful slow venom!' Ginny hissed.

'You were eleven.'

'You had crap then and you were only twelve!'

'Nearly thirteen!'

'Don't even try that! I was nearly twelve then!'

BANG

Everyone turned to face Dumbledore who had his wand pointing to the ceiling.

'Calm down both of you, they were both extremely traumatic, and you both have your family and each other to help you through it. I believe Bella was slowly dying where we left off.'

Tonks read again.

"**So ends the famous Bella Potter," said Riddle's distant voice. "Alone in the Chamber of Secrets, forsaken by her friends, defeated at last by the Dark Lord she so unwisely challenged.**

'Since when did she challenge you,' Bill snapped. 'You took her wand and forced a basilisk on her.'

**You'll be back with your dear Mudblood mother soon, Bella… She bought you twelve **

'At least gets your maths right will you, it would have been eleven years.' Bella snapped at him.

**years of borrowed time… but Lord Voldemort got you in the end, as you knew he must…"** **Riddle laughed again. "Funny how much damage a silly little book can do, especially in the hands of a silly little girl!"**

'Thanks for the idea Tom,' Bella beamed at the book, everyone looked at her curiously, Tonks kept reading.

**That's it! Bella thought, one last chance to save Ginny. **

Hermione growled at her nobleness.

**She clutched the fang in her hand and pulled the diary in front of her. **

"**What are you –" Bella using all of her strength raised her arm and slammed the fang into the heart of the diary. **

"**NO!" cried Riddle. **

**There was a long, dreadful, piercing scream. Ink spurted out of the diary in torrents, streaming over Bella's hands, flooding the floor. Riddle was writhing and twisting,**

'He's dying.' Neville said happily.

**screaming and flailing and then —**

**He had gone. Bella's wand fell to the floor with a clatter and there was silence. Silence except for the steady drip drip of ink still oozing from the diary. The basilisk venom had burned a sizzling hole right through it. Ginny gasped opening her eyes and sitting up looking around her wildly. **

Ginny blushed slightly.

**Her bemused eyes travelled from the huge form of the dead basilisk, over Bella, in her blood-soaked robes, then to the diary on the floor beside her. She drew a great, shuddering gasp and tears began to pour down her face.**

Ginny now blushed crimson remembering what she said next.

**"Bella — oh, Bella — I tried to tell you at b-breakfast, but I c-couldn't say it in front of Percy — it was me, Bella — but I — I s-swear I d-didn't mean to — R-Riddle made me, he t-took me over — and — how did you kill that — that thing? W-where's Riddle? The last thing I r-remember is him coming out of the diary —"**

Charlie held his little sister closer to him murmuring in her hear about how that reaction was perfectly normal and she shouldn't be embarrassed over it.

"**It's all right," said Bella, holding up the diary, and showing Ginny the fang hole, Bella could see the Chamber dissolving further, she could no longer see Ginny, Ginny must not see her die, she would be traumatised enough,**

'Noble git,' Ron scowled at her.

**she had to go now. "Riddle's finished. Look! Him and the basilisk. C'mon, Ginny, you've got to get out of here —"**

"**I'm going to be expelled!" Ginny wept. "I've looked forward to coming to Hogwarts ever since B-Bill came and n-now I'll have to leave and — w-what'll Mum and Dad say?"**

Ginny scowled how could she have not seen Bella's wound or that she was getting weaker and weaker every second.

"**G-Ginny" Bella stammered. "Go to the end of the chamber, take this," nodding her head at where the diary was "Ron's on the other side of those rocks go with him. Tell him I did as he asked**

'You do know if she had told me that I would have ran through and…' the words were strangled in his throat.

'Ginny would have needed you,' Bella whispered.

'I wouldn't have left you there,' Ron snapped at her his eyed burning.

'It didn't happen though, Fawkes saved me I was alright.'

Tonks read diverting the attention so Ron would wipe his eyes.

**and Dumbledore he needs Parseltongue to come and get me alright?"**

**A patch of scarlet swam past, and Bella heard a soft clatter of claws beside her.**

"**Fawkes," said Bella thickly. "You were fantastic, Fawkes…"**

**She felt the bird lay its beautiful head on the spot where the serpent's fang had pierced her.**

**Bella blinked. Fawkes's head slid in and out of focus. Thick, pearly tears were trickling down the glossy feathers.**

"**GO GINNY!"**

**If this is dying, thought Bella, it's not so bad.**

Mrs Weasley was crying she knew Bella was alright but the way she accepted this was it was horrible.

**Even the pain was leaving her…**

**But was this dying? Instead of going black, the Chamber seemed to be coming back into focus. Bella gave her head a little shake and there was Fawkes, still resting his head on Bella's arm. A pearly patch of tears was shining all around the wound — except that there was no wound.**

"**Phoenix tears have healing powers!" Bella gasped flexing her arm. **

Everyone cheered as Bella grinned at them all.

'It's hard to get a phoenix to cry for you he must be fond of you.' Charlie told her.

**Shaking all over, Bella pulled herself up. Her head was spinning as though she'd just travelled miles by Floo powder. Slowly, she gathered together her wand and the Sorting Hat, and the sword.**

"**Come on Ginny." Bella said comfortingly, she helped her to her feet. **

**Fawkes was waiting for them, hovering in the Chamber entrance. Bella urged Ginny forward; they stepped over the motionless coils of the dead basilisk, through the echoing gloom, and back into the tunnel. Bella heard the stone doors close behind them with a soft hiss.**

**After a few minutes' progress up the dark tunnel, a distant sound of slowly shifting rock reached Bella's ears.**

"**Ron!" Bella yelled, speeding up. "Ginny's okay! I've got her!"**

**She heard Ron give a strangled cheer, and they turned the next bend to see his eager face staring through the sizable gap he had managed to make in the rock fall.**

"**Ginny!" Ron thrust an arm through the gap in the rock to pull her through first. "You're alive! I don't believe it! What happened? How — what — where did that bird come from?"**

Everyone chuckled.

**Fawkes had swooped through the gap after Ginny.**

"**He's Dumbledore's," said Bella, squeezing through herself.**

"**How come you've got a sword?" said Ron, **

Everyone laughed at that imagining his shock.

**gaping at the glittering weapon in Bella's hand.**

"**I'll explain when we get out of here," said Bella with a sideways glance at Ginny, who was crying harder than ever.**

**"But —"**

"**Later," Bella said shortly. She didn't think it was a good idea to tell Ron yet who'd been opening the Chamber, not in front of Ginny, anyway. "Where's Lockhart?"**

"**Back there," said Ron, still looking puzzled but jerking his head up the tunnel toward the pipe. "He's in a bad way. Come and see."**

**Led by Fawkes, whose wide scarlet wings emitted a soft golden glow in the darkness, they walked all the way back to the mouth of the pipe. Gilderoy Lockhart was sitting there, humming placidly to himself.**

Several people sniggered.

'He still hasn't recovered,' Bella said. 'We saw him in Mungos,'

Neville looked down but Tonks read before anyone could look at him.

"**His memory's gone," said Ron. "The Memory Charm backfired. Hit him instead of us. Hasn't got a clue who he is, or where he is, or who we are. I told him to come and wait here. He's a danger to himself."**

**Lockhart peered good-naturedly up at them all.**

"**Hello," he said. "Odd sort of place, this, isn't it? Do you live here?"**

A couple of people laughed served the git right for trying to do it to children and all the other people he had done this too.

"**No," said Ron, raising his eyebrows at Bella.**

**Bella bent down and looked up the long, dark pipe.**

"**Have you thought how we're going to get back up this?" she said to Ron.**

**Ron shook his head, but Fawkes the phoenix had swooped past Bella and was now fluttering in front of her, his beady eyes bright in the dark. He was waving his long golden tail feathers. Bella looked uncertainly at him.**

"**He looks like he wants you to grab hold…" said Ron, looking perplexed. "But you're much too heavy **

'Oi,' Bella growled half-heartedly.

**for a bird to pull up there —"**

"**Fawkes," said Bella, "isn't an ordinary bird." She turned quickly to the others. "We've got to hold on to each other. Ginny, grab Ron's hand. Professor Lockhart —"**

"**She means you," said Ron sharply to Lockhart.**

"**You hold Ginny's other hand —"**

**Bella tucked the sword and the Sorting Hat into her belt, Ron took hold of the back of Bella's robes, and Bella reached out and took hold of Fawkes's strangely hot tail feathers.**

'Wow he really likes you,' Charlie said.

**An extraordinary lightness seemed to spread through her whole body and the next second, in a rush of wings, they were flying upward through the pipe. Bella could hear Lockhart dangling below her, saying, "Amazing! Amazing! This is just like magic!"**

Again people stared to laugh

**The chill air was whipping through Bella's hair, and before she'd stopped enjoying the ride, it was over — all four of them were hitting the wet floor of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, and as Lockhart straightened his hat, the sink that hid the pipe was sliding back into place.**

**Myrtle goggled at them.**

"**You're alive," she said blankly to Bella.**

"**There's no need to sound so disappointed," she said grimly, pushing her hair out of her face and wiping flecks of blood and slime off her glasses; she decided that from now on she would always carry bobbles on her wrist just in case she needed them.**

'And do you?' asked Sirius looking at her wrists, Bella was glad - as she often was - that she kept her Umbridge scar covered by makeup.

'Yeah, I always have them there' she said showing them the black hair bands.

'Why black?' asked Ginny who had a bright pink one in her hair.

'Cause my hair is black,' said Bella 'Makes it harder to notice.' Mad eye nodded approvingly.

"**Oh, well… I'd just been thinking… if you had died, you'd have been welcome to share my toilet," said Myrtle, blushing silver.**

"**Urgh!" said Ron as they left the bathroom for the dark, deserted corridor outside. "Bella! I think Myrtle's grown fond of you! You'll be best of mates with girly chats!"**

**But tears were still flooding silently down Ginny's face.**

Charlie kept his arms around his sister.

"**Where now?" said Ron, with an anxious look at Ginny. Bella pointed.**

**Fawkes was leading the way, glowing gold along the corridor. They strode after him, and moments later, found themselves outside Professor McGonagall's office**.

**Bella knocked and pushed the door open.**

'That's it,' Tonks said passing the book to Sirius who allowed Bella to hop of his lap and back into her seat.

"**Dobby's Reward," **he read.


	18. Dobby's Reward

**"Dobby's Reward" **read Sirius

**For a moment there was silence as Bella, Ron, Ginny, and Lockhart stood in the doorway, covered in muck and slime and (in Bella's case) blood.**

Mr and Mrs Weasley grimaced remembering what all three of them looked like.

**Then there was a scream.**

"**Ginny!"**

**It was Mrs. Weasley, who had been sitting crying in front of the fire. She leapt to her feet, closely followed by Mr. Weasley, and both of them flung themselves on their daughter.**

Ginny smiled and went and hugged her parent, who held her tightly hearing how close they were to losing her.

**Bella, however, was looking past them. Professor Dumbledore**

'Thought you might be back,' Sirius said and read on before anyone would comment.

**was standing by the mantelpiece, beaming, next to Professor McGonagall, who was taking great, steadying gasps, clutching her chest.**

'Sorry professor,' Bella mumbled, McGonagall's lips twitched.

**Fawkes went whooshing past Bella's ear and settled on Dumbledore's shoulder, just as Bella found herself and Ron being swept into Mrs. Weasley's tight embrace.**

Mrs Weasley chuckled and hugged Bella tightly.

'I had no idea how bad it was, thank you,' she whispered.

'Don't be silly Mrs Weasley,' she whispered back.

"**You saved her! You saved her! How did you do it?"**

"**I think we'd all like to know that," said Professor McGonagall weakly.**

'Again, sorry professor for worrying you,' Bella apologised. McGonagall smiled at her.

'It is perfectly fine Potter, as long as you don't do it again,'

'Yeah don't think I can promise that,' she grinned.

**Mrs. Weasley let go of Bella, who hesitated for a moment, then walked over to the desk and laid upon it the Sorting Hat, the ruby-encrusted sword, and what remained of Riddle's diary.**

'You looked so casual about it,' Ron said smiling. 'Oh by the way here's the sword that came out of the hat and the thing that caused all of this,' Bella stuck her tongue out at him.

**Then she started telling them everything.**

'You most certainly did not tell us everything.' McGonagall barked her eyes narrowing. Bella smiled sheepishly.

**For nearly a quarter of an hour she spoke into the rapt silence: She told them about hearing the disembodied voice, how Hermione had finally realised that she was hearing a basilisk in the pipes; how she and Ron had followed the spiders into the forest, that Aragog had told them where the last victim of the basilisk had died; how she had guessed that Moaning Myrtle had been the victim, and that the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets might be in her bathroom…**

"**Very well," Professor McGonagall prompted her as she paused, "so you found out where the entrance was — breaking a hundred school rules into pieces along the way,**

Bella grinned.

**I might add — but how on earth did you all get out of there alive, Potter?"**

'Fawkes, see I told you Hermione!' she said thinking about when Hermione asked her to start the DA. 'It was all help!'

Hermione rolled her eyes.

'Whatever, you say Bella.'

**So Bella, her voice now growing hoarse from all this talking, told them about Fawkes's timely arrival and about the Sorting Hat giving her the sword. But then she faltered. She had so far avoided mentioning Riddle's diary — or Ginny.**

**She was standing with her head against Mrs. Weasley's shoulder, and tears were still coursing silently down her cheeks. What if they expelled her? Bella thought in panic. Riddle's diary didn't work anymore… How could they prove it had been he who'd made her do it all?**

'She wouldn't have been expelled that much is obvious she wasn't the heir so would have had to have been bewitched, or did you forget about her six older brothers who would have been heirs also,' Snape sneered at her Bella glared at him. Slimy git, Bella thought.

**Instinctively, Bella looked at Dumbledore, who smiled faintly, the firelight glancing off his half-moon spectacles.**

"**What interests me most," said Dumbledore gently, "is how Lord Voldemort managed to enchant Ginny, when my sources tell me he is currently in hiding in the forests of Albania."**

**Relief — warm, sweeping, glorious relief – swept over Bella. "W-what's that?" said Mr. Weasley in a stunned voice. "You Know Who? En-enchant Ginny? But Ginny's not… Ginny hasn't been… has she?"**

"**It was this diary," said Bella quickly, picking it up and showing it to Dumbledore. "Riddle wrote it when he was sixteen…"**

**Dumbledore took the diary from Bella and peered keenly down his long, crooked nose at its burnt and soggy pages.**

"**Brilliant," he said softly. "Of course, he was probably the most brilliant student Hogwarts has ever seen."**

Bella scowled at that truth.

**He turned around to the Weasleys, who were looking utterly bewildered.**

"**Very few people know that Lord Voldemort was once called Tom Riddle. I taught him myself, fifty years ago, at Hogwarts. He disappeared after leaving the school… travelled far and wide… sank so deeply into the Dark Arts, consorted with the very worst of our kind, underwent so many dangerous, magical transformations, that when he resurfaced as Lord Voldemort, he was barely recognisable. Hardly anyone connected Lord Voldemort with the clever, handsome boy who was once Head Boy here."**

'Which is exactly what he wanted,' Dumbledore said.

"**But, Ginny," said Mrs. Weasley. "What's our Ginny got to do with — with — him?"**

"**His d-diary" Ginny sobbed. "I've b-been writing in it, and he's been w-writing back all year —"**

"**Ginny!" said Mr. Weasley, flabbergasted. "Haven't I taught you anything. What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain? Why didn't you show the diary to me, or your mother? A suspicious object like that, it was clearly full of Dark Magic!"**

**"I d-didn't know," sobbed Ginny. "I found it inside one of the books Mum got me. I th-thought someone had just left it in there and forgotten about it —"**

"**Miss Weasley should go up to the hospital wing right away," Dumbledore interrupted in a firm voice. "This has been a terrible ordeal for her. There will be no punishment. Older and wiser wizards than she have been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort." He strode over to the door and opened it. "Bed rest and perhaps a large, steaming mug of hot chocolate. I always find that cheers me up," he added, twinkling kindly down at her. **

Everyone chuckled at Dumbledore.

**"You will find that Madam Pomfrey is still awake. She's just giving out Mandrake juice — I daresay the basilisk's victims will be waking up any moment."**

"**So Hermione's okay!" said Ron brightly.**

"**There has been no lasting harm done," said Dumbledore.**

**Mrs. Weasley led Ginny out, and Mr. Weasley followed, still looking deeply shaken.**

"**You know, Minerva," Professor Dumbledore said thoughtfully to Professor McGonagall, "I think all this merits a good feast. Might I ask you to go and alert the kitchens?"**

"**Right," said Professor McGonagall crisply, also moving to the door. "I'll leave you to deal with Potter and Weasley, shall I?"**

"**Certainly," said Dumbledore.**

**She left, and Bella and Ron gazed uncertainly at Dumbledore. What exactly had Professor McGonagall meant, deal with them? Surely — surely — they weren't about to be punished?**

'That was for making us worry so much,' McGonagall said firmly though her lips twitched.

"**I seem to remember telling you both that I would have to expel you if you broke any more school rules," said Dumbledore.**

'That was really mean sir, we almost had a heart attack,' Bella said, Dumbledore chuckled.

'Yet you continue to do some law breaking the next year.' Dumbledore said.

'That was Hermione I didn't know what was going on so I broke it forcefully and you're the one who told her to do it in the first place,' Bella pointed out, Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling madly.

**Ron opened his mouth in horror.**

"**Which goes to show that the best of us must sometimes eat our words," Dumbledore went on, smiling.**

"**You will both receive Special Awards for Services to the School and — let me see — yes, I think two hundred points apiece for Gryffindor."**

The Gryffindor's cheered.

**Ron went as brightly pink as Lockhart's valentine flowers and closed his mouth again.**

**"But one of us seems to be keeping mightily quiet about his part in this dangerous adventure," Dumbledore added. "Why so modest, Gilderoy?"**

**Bella gave a start. She had completely forgotten about Lockhart. She turned and saw that Lockhart was standing in a corner of the room, still wearing his vague smile. When Dumbledore addressed him, Lockhart looked over his shoulder to see who he was talking to.**

"**Professor Dumbledore," Ron said quickly, "there was an accident down in the Chamber of Secrets. Professor Lockhart —"**

"**Am I a professor?" said Lockhart in mild surprise. "Goodness. I expect I was hopeless, was I?"**

Everyone laughed.

'That is the most accurate thing that has eve left his mouth,' Bella wheezed.

"**He tried to do a Memory Charm and the wand backfired," Ron explained quietly to Dumbledore.**

"**Dear me," said Dumbledore, shaking his head, his long silver moustache quivering. "Impaled upon your own sword, Gilderoy!"**

'You knew,'

'I suspected, but I had no proof,' Dumbledore sighed.

"**Sword?" said Lockhart dimly. "Haven't got a sword. That girl has, though." He pointed at Bella. "She'll lend you one."**

"**Would you mind taking Professor Lockhart up to the infirmary, too?" Dumbledore said to Ron.** "**I'd like a few more words with Bella…"**

Bella smiled at Dumbledore who smiled back at her.

**Lockhart ambled out. Ron cast a curious look back at Dumbledore and Bella as he closed the door.**

**Dumbledore crossed to one of the chairs by the fire.**

"**Sit down, Bella," he said, and Bella sat, feeling unaccountably nervous.**

"**First of all, Bella, I want to thank you," said Dumbledore, eyes twinkling again. "You must have shown me real loyalty down in the Chamber. Nothing but that could have called Fawkes to you."**

**She stroked the phoenix, which had fluttered down onto her knee. Bella grinned awkwardly as Dumbledore watched her.**

**"And so you met Tom Riddle," said Dumbledore thoughtfully. "I imagine he was most interested in you…"**

'Just a little,' Bella mumbled.

**Suddenly, something that was nagging at Bella came tumbling out of her mouth.**

"**Professor Dumbledore… Riddle said I'm like him. Strange likenesses, he said…"**

"**Did he, now?" said Dumbledore, looking thoughtfully at Bella from under his thick silver eyebrows. "And what do you think, Bella?"**

"**I don't think I'm like him!" said Bella, more loudly than she'd intended. "I mean, I'm — I'm in Gryffindor, I'm…"**

**But she fell silent, a lurking doubt resurfacing in her mind.**

"**Professor," she started again after a moment. "The Sorting Hat told me I'd — I'd have done well in Slytherin. Everyone thought I was Slytherin's heir for a while… because I can speak Parseltongue…"**

"**You can speak Parseltongue, Bella," said Dumbledore calmly, "because Lord Voldemort — who is the last remaining ancestor of Salazar Slytherin — can speak Parseltongue. Unless I'm much mistaken, he transferred some of his own powers to you the night he gave you that scar. Not something he intended to do, I'm sure…"**

"**Voldemort put a bit of himself in me?" Bella said, thunderstruck.**

Dumbledore internally winced at how right she was not only in powers, but physically.

"**It certainly seems so."**

"**So I should be in Slytherin," Bella said, looking desperately into Dumbledore's face. "The Sorting Hat could see Slytherin's power in me, and it —"**

"**Put you in Gryffindor," said Dumbledore calmly. "Listen to me, Bella. You happen to have many qualities Salazar Slytherin prized in his hand-picked students. His own very rare gift, Parseltongue — resourcefulness — determination — a certain disregard for rules,**"

'I think that's from her father,' said Remus smiling fondly at her, she beamed back at him.

**he added, his moustache quivering again. "Yet the Sorting Hat placed you in Gryffindor. You know why that was. Think."**

"**It only put me in Gryffindor," said Bella in a defeated voice, "because I asked not to go in Slytherin…"**

"**Exactly, "said Dumbledore, beaming once more. "Which makes you very different from Tom Riddle. It is our choices, Bella, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." Bella sat motionless in her chair, stunned. "If you want proof, Bella, that you belong in Gryffindor, I suggest you look more closely at this."**

**Dumbledore reached across to Professor McGonagall's desk, picked up the blood-stained silver sword, and handed it to Bella. Dully, Bella turned it over, the rubies blazing in the firelight. And then she saw the name engraved just below the hilt.**

**Godric Gryffindor**

"**Only a true Gryffindor could have pulled that out of the hat, Bella," said Dumbledore simply.**

**For a minute, neither of them spoke. Then Dumbledore pulled open one of the drawers in Professor McGonagall's desk and took out a quill and a bottle of ink.**

**"What you need, Bella, is some food and sleep. I suggest you go down to the feast, while I write to Azkaban —we need our gamekeeper back. And I must draft an advertisement for the Daily Prophet, too," he added Thoughtfully. "We'll be needing a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher… Dear me, we do seem to run through them, don't we?"**

Dumbledore sighed he knew why.

**Bella got up and crossed to the door. She had just reached for the handle, however, when the door burst open so violently that it bounced back off the wall.**

**Lucius Malfoy stood there, fury in his face. And cowering behind his legs, heavily wrapped in bandages, was Dobby.**

"**Good evening, Lucius," said Dumbledore pleasantly.**

**Mr. Malfoy almost knocked Bella over as he swept into the room. Dobby went scurrying in after him, crouching at the hem of his cloak, a look of abject terror on his face.**

**The elf was carrying a stained rag with which he was attempting to finish cleaning Mr. Malfoys shoes. Apparently Mr. Malfoy had set out in a great hurry, for not only were his shoes half-polished, but his usually sleek hair was dishevelled. Ignoring the elf bobbing apologetically around his ankles, he fixed his cold eyes upon Dumbledore.**

"**So!" he said "You've come back. The governors suspended you, but you still saw fit to return to Hogwarts."**

"**Well, you see, Lucius," said Dumbledore, smiling serenely, "the other eleven governors contacted me today. It was something like being caught in a hailstorm of owls, to tell the truth. They'd heard that Arthur Weasleys daughter had been killed and wanted me back here at once. They seemed to think I was the best man for the job after all. Very strange tales they told me, too… Several of them seemed to think that you had threatened to curse their families if they didn't agree to suspend me in the first place."**

'Now why doesn't that surprise me,' Moody growled glaring at the younger Malfoy.

**Mr. Malfoy went even paler than usual, but his eyes were still slits of fury.**

"**So — have you stopped the attacks yet?" he sneered. "Have you caught the culprit?"**

"**We have," said Dumbledore, with a smile.**

"**Well?" said Mr. Malfoy sharply. "Who is it?"**

"**The same person as last time, Lucius," said Dumbledore. "But this time, Lord Voldemort was acting through somebody else. By means of this diary."**

**He held up the small black book with the large hole through the centre, watching Mr. Malfoy closely.**

**Bella, however, was watching Dobby.**

**The elf was doing something very odd. His great eyes fixed meaningfully on Bella, he kept pointing at the diary, then at Mr. Malfoy, and then hitting himself hard on the head with his fist.**

Hermione glared at Malfoy, that poor elf she thought.

"**I see…" said Mr. Malfoy slowly to Dumbledore.**

"**A clever plan," said Dumbledore in a level voice, still staring Mr. Malfoy straight in the eye. "Because if Bella here —" Mr. Malfoy shot Bella a swift, sharp look "and her friend Ron hadn't discovered this book, why — Ginny Weasley might have taken all the blame. No one would ever have been able to prove she hadn't acted of her own free will…"**

'Ha!' spat Ron and Bella at the same time.

"**Well, let us hope Miss Potter will always around, to save the day." His face was suddenly masklike.**

"**Don't worry," said Bella, staring straight into his cold grey eyes, "I will be."**

'Reminds me of your little comment after the hearing,' Mr Weasley said smiling at her. He had loved the clever taunt even if he thought it was dangerous.

'The escaping thing?' Bella grinned. 'He started it.'

'And at the Quidditch world cup.' Ron said grinning.

'Again he started it.'

'How?'

'He said "enjoy yourself... While you can," in front of the minister again, so I had to say something clever back,' she said as though it was obvious.

"**And imagine," Dumbledore went on as though he was not interrupted, "what might have happened then… The Weasleys are one of our most prominent pure-blood families. Imagine the effect on Arthur Weasley and his Muggle Protection Act, if his own daughter was discovered attacking and — killing Muggle-borns… Very fortunate the diary was discovered, and Riddle's memories wiped from it. Who knows what the consequences might have been otherwise…"**

'His pathetic dream come true that would have been,' said Charlie.

**Mr. Malfoy forced himself to speak.**

"**Very fortunate," he said stiffly.**

**And still, behind his back, Dobby was pointing, first to the diary, then to Lucius Malfoy, then punching himself in the head.**

**And Bella suddenly understood. She nodded at Dobby, and Dobby backed into a corner, now twisting his ears in punishment.**

"**Don't you want to know how Ginny got hold of that diary, Mr. Malfoy?" said Bella.**

**Lucius Malfoy rounded on her.**

"**How should I know how the stupid little girl got hold of it?" he said.**

"**Because you gave it to her," said Bella. "In Flourish and Blotts. You picked up her old Transfiguration book and slipped the diary inside it, didn't you?"**

'Wow Bella that really was quick.' Tonks said.

**She saw Mr. Malfoy's white hands clench and unclench.**

"**Prove it," he hissed.**

"**Oh, no one will be able to do that," said Dumbledore, smiling at Bella. "Not now that Riddle has vanished from the book. On the other hand, I would advise you, Lucius, not to go giving out any more of Lord Voldemort's old school things. If any more of them find their way into innocent hands, I think Arthur Weasley, for one, will make sure they are traced back to you…"**

**Lucius Malfoy stood for a moment, and Bella distinctly saw his right hand twitch as though he was longing to reach for his wand. Instead, he turned to his house-elf. "We're going, Dobby!"**

**He wrenched open the door and as the elf came hurrying up to him, he kicked him right through it. They could hear Dobby squealing with pain all the way along the corridor.**

Hermione glared at Malfoy.

**Bella stood for a moment, thinking hard. Then it came to her —**

"**Professor Dumbledore," she said hurriedly. "Can I give that diary back to Mr. Malfoy, please?"**

**"Certainly, Bella," said Dumbledore calmly. "But hurry. The feast, remember…" Bella grabbed the diary and dashed out of the office. She could hear Dobby's squeals of pain receding around the corner. Quickly, wondering if this plan could possibly work, Bella took off one of her shoes, pulled off her slimy, filthy sock, and stuffed it into the diary. **

Everyone grinned as they knew what Bella was about to do.

**Then she ran down the dark corridor.**

**She caught up with them at the top of the stairs.**

"**Mr. Malfoy," she gasped, skidding to a halt, "I've got something for you —"**

**And she forced the diary into Lucius Malfoy's hand.**

"**What the —?"**

**Mr. Malfoy threw the diary into Dobby's chest**

**"You'll meet the same sticky end as your parents one of these days, Bella Potter," he said softly. "They were meddlesome fools, too."**

'Git,' Ron muttered.

**He turned to go.**

"**Open it." Bella whispered to Dobby, he did and the sock fell into his other hand.**

"**Come, Dobby. I said, come."**

**But Dobby didn't move. He was holding up Bella's disgusting, slimy sock, and looking at it as though it were a priceless treasure.**

"**Master has given a sock," said the elf in wonderment. "Master gave it to Dobby."**

"**What's that?" spat Mr. Malfoy. "What did you say?"**

"**Got a sock," said Dobby in disbelief. "Master threw it at Dobby, threw it into Dobby's chest so Dobby hold it, and Dobby — Dobby is free."**

**Lucius Malfoy stood frozen, staring at the elf then he lunged at Bella.**

'Oi!' cried all those who cared about her.

"**You've lost me my servant, girl!"**

**But Dobby shouted, "You shall not harm Bella Potter!"**

"**Cruc –"**

'HE WAS GOING TO TOUTURE YOU!' yelled many people one of the loudest being Mr Weasley. How _dare_ Malfoy hurt both of his daughters, how _dare_ he!

'Er… he didn't.' she said lamely.

'But he would have!' Neville said angrily, Bella looked sympathetically at him.

**There was a loud bang, and Mr. Malfoy was thrown backward. He crashed down the stairs, three at a time, landing in a crumpled heap on the landing below.**

**He got up, his face livid, and pulled out his wand, but Dobby raised a long, threatening finger.**

"**You shall go now," he said fiercely, pointing down at Mr. Malfoy. "You shall not touch Bella Potter. You shall go now."**

**Lucius Malfoy had no choice. With a last, incensed stare at the pair of them, he swung his cloak around him and hurried out of sight.**

"**Bella Potter freed Dobby!" said the elf shrilly, gazing up at Bella, moonlight from the nearest window reflected in his orb-like eyes. "Bella Potter set Dobby free!"**

"**Least I could do, Dobby," said Bella, grinning. "Just promise never to try and save my life again."**

Everyone laughed

**The elf's ugly brown face split suddenly into a wide, toothy smile.**

"**I've just got one question, Dobby," said Bella as Dobby pulled on Bella's sock with shaking hands. "You told me all this had nothing to do with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, remember? Well —"**

"**It was a clue, miss," said Dobby, his eyes widening, as though this was obvious. "Was giving you a clue. The Dark Lord, before he changed his name, could be freely named, you see?"**

'I get it now, but it wasn't very good,' Bill scoffed.

"**Right," said Bella weakly. "Well, I'd better go. There's a feast, and my friend Hermione should be awake by now…"**

**Dobby threw his arms around Bella's middle and hugged her.**

"**Bella Potter is greater by far than Dobby knew!" he sobbed. "Farewell, Bella Potter!"**

**And with a final loud crack, Dobby disappeared.**

**Bella had been to several Hogwarts feasts, but never one quite like this. Everybody was in their pyjamas, and the celebration lasted all night. Bella didn't know whether the best bit was Hermione running toward her, screaming "You solved it! You solved it!"**

'That was the best bit,' Bella said smiling hugging her friend tightly.

**or Justin hurrying over from the Hufflepuff table to wring her hand and apologize endlessly for suspecting her, or Hagrid turning up at half past three, cuffing Bella and Ron so hard on the shoulders that they were knocked into their plates of trifle, or her and Ron's four hundred points for Gryffindor securing the House Cup for the second year running, or Professor McGonagall standing up to tell them all that the exams had been cancelled as a school treat ("Oh, no!" said Hermione), or Dumbledore announcing that, unfortunately, Professor Lockhart would be unable to return next year, owing to the fact that he needed to go away and get his memory back. Quite a few of the teachers joined in the cheering **

Everyone laughed as they imagined who did and didn't, and who wanted too.

**that greeted this news.**

**"Shame," said Ron, helping himself to a jam doughnut. "He was starting to grow on me."**

**The rest of the final term passed in a haze of blazing sunshine. Hogwarts was back to normal with only a few, small differences — Defence Against the Dark Arts classes were cancelled ("but we've had plenty of practice at that anyway," Ron told a disgruntled Hermione) and Lucius Malfoy had been sacked as a school governor. Draco was no longer strutting around the school as though he owned the place. On the contrary, he looked resentful and sulky. On the other hand, Ginny Weasley was perfectly happy again.**

Everyone smiled at the red head, she smiled back.

**Too soon, it was time for the journey home on the Hogwarts Express.**

**Bella, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, and Ginny got a compartment to themselves. They made the most of the last few hours in which they were allowed to do magic before the holidays. They played Exploding Snap, set off the very last of Fred and George's Filibuster fireworks, and practiced disarming each other by magic. Bella was getting very good at it.**

'Thank god,' she muttered.

**They were almost at King's Cross when Bella remembered something.**

"**Ginny – what did you see Percy doing, that he didn't want you to tell anyone?"**

"**Oh, that," said Ginny, giggling. "Well — Percy's got a girlfriend."**

**Fred dropped a stack of books on George's head.**

"**What?"**

"**It's that Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater," said Ginny.**

"**That's who he was writing to all last summer. He's been meeting her all over the school in secret. I walked in on them kissing in an empty classroom one day. He was so upset when she was — you know — attacked. You won't tease him, will you?" she added anxiously.**

"**Wouldn't dream of it," said Fred, who was looking like his birthday had come early.**

"**Definitely not," said George, sniggering.**

Percy groaned they had pestered him non-stop.

**The Hogwarts Express slowed and finally stopped.**

**Bella pulled out her quill and a bit of parchment and turned to Ron and Hermione.**

**"This is called a telephone number," she told Ron, scribbling it twice, tearing the parchment in two, and handing it to them. "I told your dad how to use a telephone last summer — he'll know. Call me at the Dursleys', okay? I can't stand another two months with only Dudley to talk to…"**

She nodded in agreement with her younger self then sniggered as she remembered Ron's call.

**"Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" said Hermione as they got off the train and joined the crowd thronging toward the enchanted barrier. "When they hear what you did this year?"**

**"Proud?" said Bella. "Are you crazy? All those times I could've died, and I didn't manage it? They'll be furious…"**

Everyone growled as they realised it was true.

**And together they walked back through the gateway to the Muggle world.**

'That's it,' said Sirius closing the book and putting it back on the table to disappear.

'Right,' said Mrs Weasley. 'Bed.'

'Bella can I have a word with you before you go up?' Sirius asked his goddaughter pleasantly.

'Sure,' Bella said knowing what this was probably about. Everyone headed up for bed leaving the two in the sitting room. 'Let's go in the kitchen, I'll make us a hot chocolate.' He said smiling.

'I'll do that,' Bella said as they walked into the kitchen.

'No it's fine,' Sirius said gesturing for her to sit on one of the stools. 'Apparently I make a fabulous hot chocolate.' He winked at her as she sat down, she rolled her eyes as she slowly sank into the seat.

'Now,' said Sirius handing her her mug. 'Why did you go for help?' he said staring into her eyes.

Bella groaned.

'Sirius we did,'

'I mean after Lockhart,' Sirius said.

'We were worried about Ginny, - '

'No we,' Sirius interrupted. 'You Bella, you.'

'I didn't think they would believe me, and I wanted to help the Weasleys.' She said quietly. 'I couldn't not do something, when the family that looked after me, was going to lose their only daughter. They treat me like their own, Sirius. And she was my best and first friends little sister, imagine how much it would hurt him to lose his only sister and his sibling in general.'

Sirius sighed, putting his head in his hands. Bella nervously waited for him to speak.

'Bella, at the time you barely knew Ginny, you were twelve, you should have told McGonagall.' He said rubbing his face as he lifted his head. 'It's like you think all life is above your own and it isn't.'

'She didn't believe me the year before and she wouldn't have let me go,' Bella protested.

'Bella you were twelve you shouldn't have gone,' Sirius said.

'I needed to go Sirius,' she said. 'I had to, I wanted to help then but now if I hadn't done that I wouldn't have certain skills that I have now,' Bella told him. 'Without that experience I wouldn't know who Riddle was so I would have been caught completely of guard in the graveyard. I know that it is ok to ask for help. Even my relationship with the Weasley's would be different. Sirius I wouldn't be who I am without any of those experiences, I wouldn't be able to escape Voldemort without them,'

He sighed rubbing his face again.

'Do you want me to go grey?' he asked.

'Are you being serious?'

'I am all the time but in the language sense yes I am,' Bella rolled her eyes and giggled.

'No, I didn't do all of that for you to one day read so you would go grey,' she said amused.

Sirius pulled her in for a hug; she melted into him taking in the love and comfort.

'What I have in my arms is very precious, Isabella,' he said softly. 'Please take care of it, it is worth more to me than anything else in the world, and to others also. You may not think so because it has been drilled into your head it's not, but it really is. Promise me you'll look after it.'

Bella's face crumbled she hid in the crook of his neck.

'I'm sorry,' she whispered. He hugged her tighter.

'What for?' he said shocked as he felt water on his neck.

'For getting into trouble, for wasting your time, for everything that is my fault.'

'Like what?' Sirius demanded.

'Your early greys,' she sniffed. 'For not thinking the way you want me too, for everything that makes you mad or annoyed. I don't want to make you upset with me,'

'Honey I'm not upset with you, I am mad at myself,' he said softly, 'and the Durlseys, and Voldemort, but you. I am never mad at you sweetheart.'

'I don't understand,' Bella said pulling away from him, he dried her eyes with his hand softly.

'It isn't your fault you have a mad man after you,' he said. 'It's not your fault your relatives have made you think the way you do, it's not your fault for anything like that, Bella you are a child, you may not act like it because of everything that had happened to you, but you are, you shouldn't have to deal with the things you do, honey I could never be mad at you for who you are. Have the odd grey hair of heart failure because of it, but never mad.'

Bella smiled at him weakly.

'Come on Minnie's old, she needs her sleep,' he said winking at her, he scooped her up.

'Sirius!' she yelled.

'I missed the years I could do this you're not going to deny me a few goes are you?'

'Yes, yes I am,' she said laughing, he opened the door and went to the dorms knocking on McGonagall's, she opened it.

'Special delivery,' he said cheerfully, 'you ordered one danger magnet, dark haired green eyed teenage girl who is a witch?'

'Just put her down Black,' McGonagall said in a crisp voice.

'Not until you play along,' he said.

'Fine, yes I need though the danger magnet is an unwanted bonus,' she said Sirius dumped her on the bed that has Bella's red pyjamas on it.

'Night, honey see you this second,' he said grinning, Bella rolled her eyes.

'Shut it, mutt,' she grumbled, he laughed then left the room. The two women got ready and lay in bed, Bella fell asleep instantly.

Remus sat waiting for Sirius to return after speaking to Bella, but while he lay there he couldn't help but think if it wasn't for his stupid condition, he could have taken Bella, raised her with love and happiness sure she wouldn't have gotten vast amounts of presents he had been to poor, but she would have gotten better than a pair of old socks he knew that much. He heard Sirius come in but he didn't want to talk to him. He was imagining how different all their lives would have been without his stupid lycanthropy. Bella's in particular. He wanted to sigh but that would alert Sirius's of this dark thought, he closed his eyes and went to sleep.

Sirius fell into bed; Remus didn't turn to ask him what was wrong he was trapped in his own thoughts. How could he have been so stupid, he hissed mentally to himself. I could have gone with Hagrid to explain to Dumbledore but he went after Pettigrew instead! He sat rotting away is Azkaban while Bella was being abused, fighting trolls, Voldemort and basilisks. Instead of protecting her he was curled up as a dog whining in the far corner against the dementors. I turned over. Some godfather he turned out to be…

Everyone else was wrapped up in their own thoughts too. Some more shocking than people may believe, some insecure of their own achievements (including the Malfoy heir), some amazed, fearful, stressed, some surprised how much they had missed in the short amount of time. It took a long time for each set of eyes to close the last to fall was Arthur Weasley as he began to drift he had a nightmare about his daughters and the ridiculous concept of blood authority.

_**X **_

_**Hi guys hope you liked it! Bella Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is up now! **_

_**Enjoy xxxxxxxxxx**_


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